A Recreational Swimming Intervention during the Whole School Year Improves Fitness and Cardiometabolic Risk in Children and Adolescents with Overweight and Obesity

Elisabeth Machado, Fernanda Jannuzzi, Silvio Telles, Cecilia Oliveira, Isabel Madeira, Fernando Sicuro, Maria das Graças Souza, Alexandra Monteiro, Eliete Bouskela, Paulo Collett-Solberg and Paulo Farinatti ()
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Elisabeth Machado: Clinical and Experimental Research Laboratory on Vascular Biology, Biomedical Center, University of Rio de Janeiro State, Rio de Janeiro 20550-900, Brazil
Fernanda Jannuzzi: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Rio de Janeiro State, Rio de Janeiro 20550-900, Brazil
Silvio Telles: Laboratory of Physical Activity and Health Promotion, Institute of Physical Education and Sports, University of Rio de Janeiro State, Rio de Janeiro 20550-900, Brazil
Cecilia Oliveira: Institute of Nutrition, University of Rio de Janeiro State, Rio de Janeiro 20550-900, Brazil
Isabel Madeira: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Rio de Janeiro State, Rio de Janeiro 20550-900, Brazil
Fernando Sicuro: Clinical and Experimental Research Laboratory on Vascular Biology, Biomedical Center, University of Rio de Janeiro State, Rio de Janeiro 20550-900, Brazil
Maria das Graças Souza: Clinical and Experimental Research Laboratory on Vascular Biology, Biomedical Center, University of Rio de Janeiro State, Rio de Janeiro 20550-900, Brazil
Alexandra Monteiro: Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Rio de Janeiro State, Rio de Janeiro 20550-900, Brazil
Eliete Bouskela: Clinical and Experimental Research Laboratory on Vascular Biology, Biomedical Center, University of Rio de Janeiro State, Rio de Janeiro 20550-900, Brazil
Paulo Collett-Solberg: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Rio de Janeiro State, Rio de Janeiro 20550-900, Brazil
Paulo Farinatti: Laboratory of Physical Activity and Health Promotion, Institute of Physical Education and Sports, University of Rio de Janeiro State, Rio de Janeiro 20550-900, Brazil

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 24, 1-15

Abstract: The benefits of swimming as a treatment for overweight children are undefined. We investigated the effects of recreational swimming on cardiometabolic risk in children/adolescents with normal and excess weight. Participants ( n = 49, 26 girls, 10.3 ± 1.8 y) were grouped as ‘eutrophic swimming’ (EU-Swim, n = 14); ‘excess weight swimming’ (EW-Swim, n = 20) with an ‘obese swimming’ subgroup (OB-Swim, n = 10); and ‘excess weight sedentary’ (EW-Sed, n = 15) with an ‘obese sedentary’ subgroup (OB-Sed, n = 11). Swimming (50 min, twice/week, moderate-vigorous intensity) was an extra activity during the school year (6 + 3 months with a 3-month school break). Nutritional status, blood pressure (BP), physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, biochemical variables, autonomic modulation, endothelial function, abdominal fat, and carotid thickness were assessed at baseline, 6, and 12 months. Greater improvements ( p < 0.05) occurred in EW-Swim vs. EW-Sed in body mass index (z-BMI, −16%, d+ 0.52), waist-to-height ratio (W/H, −8%, d+ 0.59–0.79), physical activity (37–53%, d+ 1.8–2.2), cardiorespiratory fitness (30–40%, d+ 0.94–1.41), systolic BP (SBP, −6–8%, d+ 0.88–1.17), diastolic BP (DBP, −9–10%, d+ 0.70–0.85), leptin (−14–18%, d+ 0.29–0.41), forearm blood flow (FBF, 26–41%, d+ 0.53–0.64), subcutaneous fat (SAT, −6%, d+ 0.18), and intra-abdominal fat (VAT, −16%, d+ 0.63). OB-Swim showed improvements vs. OB-Sed in TNFα (−17%, d+ 1.15) and adiponectin (22%, d+ 0.40). Swimming improved fitness and cardiometabolic risk in children/adolescents with overweight/obesity. (TCTR20220216001)

Keywords: physical activity; cardiovascular risk; blood pressure; endothelial function; autonomic modulation; health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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