Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Overweight Adolescents

Several approaches have been used to improve cardiovascular health status and quality of life in obese children and adolescents, without coming to a consensus decision. Recently, a few studies have determined the effects of exercise training and diet on endothelial function in overweight and obese children and adolescents. The main findings are that only a moderate amount of exercise training and diet changes improves or restores endothelial function. It is difficult, however, to asses the separate effects of the training and diet, particularly because none of the studies have used a homogenous exercise training regimen. Unanimously, better, but affordable prevention and treatment strategies to improve wide-scale health outcome are called upon to slow down the current epidemic of overweight. It is now well established that physical activity reduces, but does not currently prevent the epidemic of obesity from either reaching global proportions or taxing public health and economy. Despite the recent advances in understanding the responsible biology of improved cardiovascular health with exercise training, several lines of research questions are still unresolved. For instance, the optimal program, e.g. when to initiate, whom to prescribe exercise to, which exercise-intensity is required, and the actual design of the treatment program, remain by far yet to determine.

Inclusion criteria

• Overweight and obese adolescents in the Trondheim area, referred to medical treatment at St. Olav's Hospital

Exclusion criteria

• Any coexisting medical illnesses