Childhood obesity is a serious health problem worldwide. In Spain, around 40% of children aged 6 to 9 are overweight or obese, according to data from the Aladino 2019 study. Excess weight increases the chances of developing various diseases, so interventions to combat it from the earliest childhood are key to preventing long-term complications.
A study led by researchers from the Department of Physical and Sports Education of the University of Granada (UGR) has analyzed the effects of an aerobic and strength physical exercise program in schoolchildren with obesity or overweight and has verified that when carried out for five months, produced a decrease in cardiovascular risk factors such as LDL cholesterol and visceral fat, and also reduced the body mass index (BMI) and the amount of total fat in the participants.
Pediatricians from the Child Endocrinology Unit of the University Clinical Hospital of Granada and external national and international collaborators have also collaborated in the research. The results have been published in JAMA Network Open and demonstrate that regular exercise improves the physical condition and health of schoolchildren, in addition to improving their aerobic capacity.
Improve physical condition and prevent metabolic diseases
“One of the most notable findings is that almost 80% of the boys and girls who carried out the physical exercise program achieved a significant reduction in the amount of total fat,” declared Francisco B. Ortega, professor at the Department of Education. Physics and Sports from the University of Granada and researcher responsible for the project.
“In addition, we observed that a greater number of schoolchildren with a high probability of suffering from metabolic syndrome managed to get out of that risk group as a result of following this physical exercise program. A similar trend was observed in boys and girls, who went from having poor physical condition to optimal physical condition, depending on aerobic capacity,” says Jairo H. Migueles, member of the Department of Physical and Sports Education at the UGR, and one of the principal investigators of the study.
92 children (36 girls and 56 boys) with an average age of 10 years participated in the study. Cardiometabolic outcomes specified in the trial protocol included body composition (fat mass, fat-free mass, and visceral adipose tissue), physical fitness (cardiorespiratory, speed-agility, and muscle), and traditional risk factors (waist circumference, levels blood lipids, glucose levels, insulin levels and blood pressure).
“A greater number of schoolchildren with a high probability of suffering from metabolic syndrome managed to get out of that risk group as a result of following this physical exercise program”
The physical exercise program that the participants followed is based on group games without advanced equipment, which includes simple activities such as running on an outdoor track and performing strength exercises at moderate to high intensity. That is, in conditions similar to those that occur in the school environment or in extracurricular activities, so this program can be established in a normal context.
The prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity has increased in recent decades and excess weight already affects one in three children worldwide. Spain is one of the European countries with the highest rate of minors with this problem. Children who suffer from obesity are at greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes in the future and may experience functional limitations that impair their quality of life. “This study demonstrates the importance of including physical exercise to treat childhood obesity and prevent the development of metabolic problems,” concludes Cristina Cadenas Sánchez, another of the researchers who coordinated the work.
Source: University of Granada (UGR)
