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Effects of group sports on health‐related physical fitness of overweight youth: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Author(s) -
Oliveira Ana,
Monteiro Ângela,
Jácome Cristina,
Afreixo Vera,
Marques Alda
Publication year - 2017
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/sms.12784
Subject(s) - cardiorespiratory fitness , overweight , medicine , physical therapy , physical fitness , body mass index , waist , grip strength , sports medicine , obesity , vo2 max , meta analysis , body fat percentage , physical strength , cinahl , psychological intervention , heart rate , psychiatry , blood pressure
Group sports interventions have been developed to improve health‐related physical fitness of overweight/obese youth. However, its benefits are not systematically documented. This study synthesizes the evidence about the effects of group sports on health‐related physical fitness of overweight/obese youth. Pubmed, Web of Knowledge, Scopus, Medline, CINAHL , SportDiscus, and Academic Search Complete were searched in February 2016. Studies assessing the effects of group sports on body composition, cardiorespiratory endurance, muscle strength, flexibility, and neuromotor fitness of overweight/obese youth (aged <18 years) were included. Effect sizes ( ES ) were calculated with Cohen's d and its 95% confidence intervals ( CI ). Improvements were found in (i) body composition – percentage of fat body mass (pooled ES = 0.67; 95% CI = 0.24–1.10) and waist circumference ( ES = 0.69; P = 0.004); (ii) cardiorespiratory endurance – peak oxygen consumption (pooled ES = 0.53; 95% CI = 0.13–0.92) and (iii) muscle strength – hand grip strength ( ES = 0.72; P = 0.003). No significant effects were found for body mass index (pooled ES = 0.27; 95% CI = −0.14 to 0.69), percentage of lean body mass ( ES = 0.01; P > 0.05), maximal power output ( ES from 0 to 0.06; P > 0.05), sit‐and‐reach test (pooled ES = 0.26; 95% CI = −0.16 to 0.68) and agility test ( ES = 0; P = 0.48). Group sports improve body composition, cardiorespiratory endurance, and hand grip strength of overweight/obese youth. Flexibility and neuromotor fitness do not seem to change following group sports.