Results Overall , exercise intolerance is prevalent in pediatric chronic disease .
Background Physical activity ( PA ) is associated with a diverse range of health benefits .
International guidelines suggest that children should be participating in a minimum of 60 min of moderate to vigorous intensity PA per day to achieve these benefits .
However , current guidelines are intended for healthy children , and thus may not be applicable to children with a chronic disease .
Specifically , the dose of PA and disease specific exercise considerations are not included in these guidelines , leaving such children with few , if any , evidence -based informed suggestions pertaining to PA .
Thus , the purpose of this narrative review was to consider current literature in the area of exercise as medicine and provide practical applications for exercise in five prevalent pediatric chronic diseases : respiratory , congenital heart , metabolic , systemic inflammatory/autoimmune , and cancer .
Randomized controlled study of in-hospital exercise training programs in children with cystic fibrosis.
The aim of this study was to compare aerobic and resistance training in children with cystic fibrosis ( CF ) admitted to hospital with an intercurrent pulmonary infection with a control group . The subjects were r and omized into three groups on the first day of admission . The fat-free mass ( FFM ) was calculated , using the skin fold thickness from four sites ( biceps , triceps , subscapular , and iliac crest ) . Pulmonary function tests were performed within 36 hr of admission and repeated on discharge from the hospital , and again at 1 month after discharge . All subjects performed an incremental treadmill exercise test , using a modified Bruce protocol .  Lower limb strength was measured using a Cybex dynamometer . An assessment of quality of life was made using the Quality of Well Being Scale , as previously reported . Activity levels were measured using a 7-day activity diary , and subjects also wore an accelerometer on their hips . There were no significant differences between the three groups in terms of disease severity , and length of stay in hospital . Subjects in all three groups received intravenous antibiotics and nutritional supplementation as determined by the physician . Children r and omized to the aerobic training group participated in aerobic activities for five sessions , each of 30-min duration , a week . The children r and omized to the resistance training group exercised both upper and lower limbs against a grade d resistance machine . Subjects in the control group received st and ard chest physiotherapy . Our study demonstrated that children who received aerobic training had significantly better peak aerobic capacity , activity levels , and quality of life than children who received the resistance training program . Children who received resistance training had better weight gain ( total mass , as well as fat-free mass ) , lung function , and leg strength than children who received aerobic training . A combination of aerobic and resistance training may be the best training program , and future studies to assess optimal training programs for CF patients are indicated
Results Overall , exercise intolerance is prevalent in pediatric chronic disease .
Background Physical activity ( PA ) is associated with a diverse range of health benefits .
International guidelines suggest that children should be participating in a minimum of 60 min of moderate to vigorous intensity PA per day to achieve these benefits .
However , current guidelines are intended for healthy children , and thus may not be applicable to children with a chronic disease .
Specifically , the dose of PA and disease specific exercise considerations are not included in these guidelines , leaving such children with few , if any , evidence -based informed suggestions pertaining to PA .
Thus , the purpose of this narrative review was to consider current literature in the area of exercise as medicine and provide practical applications for exercise in five prevalent pediatric chronic diseases : respiratory , congenital heart , metabolic , systemic inflammatory/autoimmune , and cancer .