Effects of Exercise on Arterial Function and Insulin Resistance Syndrome in Pre-pubertal Obese Children
Condition: Obesity
MeSH terms: Insulin Resistance; Metabolic Syndrome
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The main purpose of this project is to investigate the effects of an exercise program on
      arterial function and cardiovascular diseases risk factors in obese and lean pre-pubertal
      children. This information will be used to underpin prevention strategies to reduce
      cardiovascular diseases in overweight youth.
    

Detailed description: 
      Introduction: cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the major contributor to the global burden of
      non-communicable diseases, one third of all global death being attributed to CVD. Childhood
      obesity poses a major public health problem and there is increasing evidence that foundation
      of cardiovascular diseases lays early in life in obese children. There is therefore an urgent
      need to identify effective prevention strategies. Physical activity is recognized as major
      determinants of cardiovascular health in adults and adolescents however, little is known in
      young children. The main purpose of this project is to investigate the effects of a 3-month
      exercise training program on arterial function and cardiovascular diseases risk factors in
      obese and lean children.

      Methods: This is a randomized controlled trial including 4 groups of pre-pubertal children
      aged 6 to 11 years old: 1) obese exercise, 2) obese control, 3) lean exercise, and 4) lean
      control. The exercise groups engage in aerobic exercise training three 60-minute sessions per
      week for 12 weeks, in addition of school physical education. Training sessions consist of 30
      minutes of aerobic exercise (walking, running, games, swimming), followed by strength
      training and stretching. Controls are relatively inactive. After the 3-month intervention,
      the obese control group engages in an identical 12-week exercise program and the obese
      exercise group is encouraged to continue for a total of 6 months. Primary measures include:
      24-hour ambulatory systolic and diastolic blood pressure; endothelial function and mechanical
      indices of the brachial and carotid arteries using a B-mode ultrasound imager; central blood
      pressure and pulse wave velocity by tonometry of aplanation. Other measures include: body
      composition, physical activity, cardio-respiratory fitness, nutrition, quality of life, and
      fasting blood lipids, insulin, glucose, markers of vascular function and inflammation.
      Testing is performed at baseline, 3, 6 and 24 months in obese children and at baseline and 3
      months in lean children.

      We hypothesize that exercise training will result in improved arterial function, body
      composition and markers of the metabolic syndrome in obese children. This information will be
      used to underpin prevention strategies to reduce CVD risk factors in this high-risk
      population.
    

Intervention name(s): Exercise
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): The exercise groups engage in aerobic exercise training three 60-minute sessions per week for 12 weeks, in addition of school physical education. Training sessions consist of 30 minutes of aerobic exercise (walking, running, games, swimming), followed by strength training and stretching.
Other intervention name(s): Physical activity
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Obesity; Cardiovascular disease; Endothelial function; Blood pressure; Exercise; Physical activity; Metabolic syndrome; Children; Pediatric