Body Composition Of 6 To 8.5 Year Old Overweight And Obese Children: 12-Week Follow-Up From An Eating And Exercise Behaviour Family-Centered Lifestyle Intervention In Quebec (Canada)

Assessment of body fat mass using dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) in obese children is scarce. The objective of this study was to examine body composition changes from baseline to 12‐wk in overweight and obese children participating in a lifestyle intervention. Overweight (n= 3) and obese (n= 11) children (mean age 7.7 ± 0.7 y) were randomized to three groups: control (Con); standard intervention (SInt); and an intense intervention (IInt) group. DXA scans were performed at baseline and 12‐wk. Although none of the results presented are statistically significant, Con appeared to gain more mass (2.0 ± 0.8 kg) vs. SInt (0.3 ± 2.5 kg) vs. IInt (0.1 ± 1.1 kg) (p=0.13). Concomitantly BMI z‐scores demonstrated minor alterations, IInt (0.0± 0.2) SInt (−0.2 ± 0.3) and (−0.1 ± 0.2) (p=0.19). By week 12, our results suggested that the SInt group had a slightly greater % fat loss (−2.4 %) vs. control (+0.5 %) vs. IInt (−1.7 %). However, the IIntr appeared to present with a greater changes in whole body bone mineral content (BMC) (46.5 g) and % trunk fat loss (FL) (−1.6%) compared to SInt (BMC: 44.4 g; % FL: −0.2) and control (BMC: 43.9 g; % FL: 0.8). These preliminary results suggest that obese children who attend a family intervention may lower fat mass and improve BMC, through adoption of weight‐bearing activity and a focus on nutrient dense foods. Our continued study will confirm these results. Funded by Dairy Farmers of Canada.