Resultados da orientação à prática de atividade física em crianças e adolescentes obesos

Introduction: Methods for treating children and adolescents with excess weight, including the practice of physical activity (PA), have been broadly studied. However, a program of PA that may be practiced at home and applied in the environment of the public health system is unprecedented. Objective: To evaluate the level of PA of children and adolescents with excess weight and its association with their body mass index (BMI)Z-score according to the criteria of the World Health Organization (WHO), weight Z-score, fat-free-mass (FFM), fatty-mass (FM), and basal metabolic rate (BMR), calculated by using the Schaefer formula for the pediatric population. Method: A total of 15 girls and 12 boys with a mean age of 11.29 ± 1.92 years old and a BMI percentile > 98 were followed-up for 1 year. Bioelectric impedance (BI) was performed to measure FFM, FM and BMR. The BMI Z-score was calculated, as well as the weight Z-score, and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was applied to measure the level of PA. Results: It was found that children and adolescents are able to perform a routine of physical activity practice at home following monthly instruction sessions. Improvement in the weight z-score was verified in 59.3% of the patients, 77.8% of pacients had improvement in the BMI z-score, BMR and FFM was improved for 96% of the patients and 33% of the population had decreased FM for the period of 12 months. No improvement was found in the reduction of the amount of sedentary time to less the two hours a day in most of the population. Conclusion: Children and adolescents, once stimulated, managed to improve their levels of physical activity and changed their body composition. Therefore, PA, even when isolated, cooperates positively in the management of excess weight in children and adolescents