Effects and dose-response relationship of exercise training on cardiometabolic risk factors in children with obesity

Abstract

Abstract Objectives To explore the dose-response relationship between physical activity and the improvement of cardiometabolic risks in children with obesity, and provide a reference for the recommendation of physical activity for obese children. Methods A total of 96 children with obesity were recruited to participate in an exercise intervention program. An ActiGraph GT3X+ three-axis accelerometer was used to measure their physical activity. The dose groups (Q1∼Q4) were divided based on the quartiles of physical activity. The analysis of variance was used to compare the changes in body composition and cardiometabolic risk factors before and after the intervention. Results All intervention groups showed a significant reduction in weight, body mass index, body fat percent, fat mass, fat free mass, and skeletal muscle mass (p<0.01), and the change in the Q4 and Q3 groups was greater than in the Q2 and Q1 groups. Triglyceride, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were significantly reduced after intervention in all groups (p<0.01), and the change in SBP, and DBP in the Q4 group was higher than in the Q1 group (p<0.05). Conclusions Exercise interventions could effectively improve body composition and cardiometabolic risk factors. A higher exercise dose is associated with significant improvements in body composition, and cardiometabolic health.