A 3-Week Multidisciplinary Body Weight Reduction Program Improves Body Composition and Lower Limb Power Output in...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Obesity Research
• Sports Medicine and Physiology
• Body Composition Analysis

Background:

• Childhood obesity is a growing global health concern.
• Obesity negatively impacts body composition and physical function in children and adolescents.
• Effective interventions are needed to manage pediatric obesity and its consequences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a 3-week in-hospital body weight reduction program (BWRP) on body composition and lower limb muscle power (LLP) in obese youth.
• To assess changes in fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM), and LLP before and after the intervention.
• To determine the effectiveness of a comprehensive BWRP including diet, exercise, and psychological support.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 3,778 obese children and adolescents (aged 8-18 years) participated in a 3-week BWRP.
• Body composition was measured using an impedancemeter at baseline (T0) and day 21 (T21).
• Lower limb muscle power (LLP) was assessed using the Margaria stair climbing test.

Main Results:

• Significant reductions in body mass (BM) and fat mass (FM) were observed in both girls and boys (p < 0.001).
• Fat-free mass (FFM) remained stable in both genders.
• Lower limb muscle power (LLP) significantly increased in absolute values and when normalized to BM and FFM in both genders (p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

• A 3-week BWRP effectively reduces fat mass while preserving lean body mass in obese children and adolescents.
• The program significantly improves lower limb muscle power, indicating enhanced physical capacity.
• These findings support the implementation of structured weight reduction programs for improving the health and physical function of obese youth.