Residential Weight Loss Programmes For Children: Consistent Favourable Responses Irrespective Of Baseline Fitness And Fatness

Abstract

PURPOSE: Assess variation of responses to a residential weight loss programme involving physical activities and dietary restriction. METHODS: Repeated measures design pre and post the 8 week intervention. The daily schedule included six 1-hour, skill based, fun, physical activities, moderate dietary restriction and lifestyle education. BMI defined as overweight was required for inclusion. Tertiles were derived from baseline fatness and fitness. Analysis of covariance was used to evaluate the intervention across tertiles. 203 overweight and obese children (mean age 14.02 years) attended the camp for between 6 to 53 days. Children were assessed for height, weight, body composition, other anthropometrics and aerobic fitness pre and post intervention. Blood pressure and various biochemical markers of cardiovascular disease risk were also recorded for varying proportions of campers. RESULTS: Campers, who stayed for a mean of 30 days, reduced their weight and standardised BMI scores by 6.35kg and 0.3 units respectively. Increases in VO2 at 85% HR max of 0.2L.min-1 and 3.89ml.kg-1.min-1 were also observed. Significant (P<0.003 - P<0.000) improvements were consistently seen across all tertiles of campers, based on a comparison of pre and post values. Variability of change data are shown in table 1.Variability of mean changes by tertiles of fatness and fitnessLonger duration of stay was associated with greater improvements in outcomes, but the effect of the camp remained consistently significant when controlling for duration of stay for body fat, waist circumference and blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS: The 8 week residential intervention was consistently effective for overweight and obese children across several key variables, when controlling for baseline standardised BMI and VO2 at 85% HR max.