The feasibility of a home-based moderate-intensity physical activity intervention in obese children and adolescents.

OBJECTIVES

To explore the feasibility of conducting a 10-week home-based physical activity (PA) programme and evaluate the changes in insulin sensitivity (S(I)) commensurate with the programme in obese young people.

DESIGN

Open-labelled intervention.

SETTING

Home-based intervention with clinical assessments at a tertiary paediatric hospital.

SUBJECTS

18 obese (body mass index (BMI)>International Obesity Task Force age and sex-specific cut-offs) children and adolescents (8-18 years, 11 girls/7 boys) were recruited. 15 participants (nine girls/six boys, mean+/-SE age 11.8+/-0.6 years, BMI-SD scores (BMI-SDS) 3.5+/-0.1, six prepubertal/nine pubertal) completed the intervention.

INTERVENTION

The programme comprised biweekly home visits over 10 weeks with personalised plans implemented aiming to increase moderate-intensity PA. Pedometers and PA diaries were used as self-monitoring tools. The goals were to (1) teach participants behavioural skills related to adopting and maintaining an active lifestyle and (2) increase daily participation in PA.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Mean steps/day were assessed. S(I) assessed by the frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test and other components of the insulin resistance syndrome were measured.

RESULTS

Mean steps/day increased significantly from 10 363+/-927 (baseline) to 13 013+/-1131 (week 10) (p<0.05). S(I) was also significantly increased, despite no change in BMI-SDS, and remained so after an additional 10-week follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that such a home-based PA programme is feasible. S(I) improved without changes in BMI-SDS. More rigorous evaluations of such programmes are warranted.