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Football to tackle overweight in children
Author(s) -
Faude O.,
Kerper O.,
Multhaupt M.,
Winter C.,
Beziel K.,
Junge A.,
Meyer T.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of medicine and science in sports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.575
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1600-0838
pISSN - 0905-7188
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0838.2009.01087.x
Subject(s) - overweight , anthropometry , football , physical therapy , medicine , physical fitness , randomized controlled trial , cardiovascular fitness , psychology , obesity , surgery , political science , law
The present study aimed at analyzing the efficacy of a 6‐month football training program compared with a standard exercise program on health and fitness parameters in overweight children. The study design was a 6‐month, two‐arm, parallel‐group randomized trial. Twenty‐two overweight children were randomly assigned to two groups (age=10.8±1.2 years, height=1.56±0.08 m, weight= 65.1±11.4 kg). One group conducted a football training program, and the other group an established standard sports program. Both interventions took place three times per week from mid‐May to mid‐November. Before, after 3 months and after the training period, comprehensive testing was conducted: anthropometric characteristics, cycling ergometry, psychometric monitoring as well as several motor ability tests. Maximal performance capacity increased and submaximal heart rate during cycling ergometry decreased significantly. Several motor skills as well as self‐esteem also improved considerably. Body composition and other psychometric variables remained nearly unchanged. No relevant differences were observed between both exercise programs. It can be concluded that a 6‐month football training is as efficacious in improving the physical capacity, health‐related fitness parameters and self‐esteem of overweight children as a standard exercise program. These results provide further evidence that playing football has significant health effects.