Energy expenditure in low active overweight and obese children at varying treadmill grades

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Issue date
2015-02-01Suggested citation
Serra Payà, Noemí;
Ensenyat Solé, Assumpta;
Real, Jordi;
Blanco Nespereira, Alfonso;
.
(2015)
.
Energy expenditure in low active overweight and obese children at varying treadmill grades.
Pediatric Exercise Science, 2015, vol. 27, num. 1, p. 57-66.
https://doi.org/10.1123/pes.2013-0111.
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Show full item recordAbstract
This study aimed to evaluate differences between low active overweight and obese children
in terms of energy expenditure (EE), ventilation (VE), and cardiac response during graded
submaximal treadmill testing at constant speed. Methods: We categorized 20 children into
two weight groups according to the International Obesity Task Force criteria: overweight
(n=10; age=9.7 ±1.34 years) and obese (n=10; age=10.4±1.4 years). Children performed
treadmill testing at a constant speed (1.53 m·s-1
) and increasing grade (0%, 4%, and 8%).
every 3 min. Results: The EE across all grades was significantly higher (p<0.001) in obese
than in overweight children. Differences at each grade disappeared when EE was adjusted by
body mass; however, several differences remained when the EE was adjusted by fat-free
mass or body surface area. The increase in EE with increasing grade was greater in obese
children (effect size between 0% and 8% for EE was 1.17). BMI z-score and fat mass (kg)
were the main predictors of EE (Kcal·min-1
) and contributed to explaining 66%, 70% and
83.4% of the variance in EE at 0%, 4% and 8% gradients respectively. Conclusion: We
suggest that when assessing EE response to exercise, the degree of obesity should be taken
into consideration.