Performance On Various Strength Assessments In Relation To Insulin Resistance In Obese Children

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Increased muscle strength has been shown to be protective against insulin resistance in children (Benson,2006). It is unknown if traditional strength assessments that use body weight as resistance are accurate in obese children. PURPOSE: To investigate the relationship between an obese child's performance on body weight resistance (BWR) and non-body weight resistance (NBWR) sub maximal strength exercises and their correlation to insulin resistance as measured by a fasting insulin level. METHODS: Patients (n=131, ages 9-18 yr., 50.4% males) seen in an outpatient, hospital-based, weight management clinic performed 8 lb. bicep curls (NBWR) as part of their fitness evaluation. A subset of patients (n=44, ages 6-18, 40.5% males) was used to investigate the association between BWR strength tests (crunches, modified pushups, and wall pushups) and NBWR tests (bicep curl). Each exercise was done to a metronome set at 40 bpm and performed until patient failed to keep proper form or beat. We used Pearson product correlations to analyze the relationship between the different strength tests and each strength test to fasting insulin. RESULTS: The data shows a strong positive correlation between the four strength tests (p<0.004). Bicep curls are negatively associated with fasting insulin (p=0.02).Table 1: Strength Test RESULTS: mean (st dev.)CONCLUSION: All strength tests were positively associated, suggesting that strength tests that use BWR are as accurate in obese children as strength tests that use NBWR. Only NBWR strength test showed an association with fasting insulin in our obese children. Increasing muscular strength may be an important factor in the treatment of insulin resistance.