CASH- Children Active to Stay Healthy

Obesity, even in children, is generally accompanied by a state of chronic inflammation. To
combat childhood obesity, clinicians and scientists recommend lifestyle interventions that
include increased physical activity and exercise in an attempt to promote weight loss and,
consequently, decrease comorbidities associated with excess adiposity. More importantly, it
appears that the influence of regular exercise may offer children with obesity a multitude
of health benefits, independent of weight loss. However, the intensity of exercise required
to elicit significant health benefits is still unclear. Therefore, the aim of the present
project is to study the influence of high intensity interval exercise (HIIE) on the existing
inflammatory state found in obesity. Specifically, the proposed project will examine
endothelial function and markers of inflammation, such as TNFa, IL-6, hsCRP, and
adiponectin, in children with obesity before and after an exercise intervention. The data
will then be used to determine if changes in these values differ in magnitude based on the
intensity of exercise. Children with obesity will be randomized into either moderate
exercise or HIIE groups, and attend sessions 3 times per week for 6 weeks. The moderate
group will cycle continuously for 30 minutes at 65%-70% of maximal heart rate and the HIIE
group will perform ten, 2-minute bouts at 90%-95% of maximal heart rate. Outcome measures of
body composition, aerobic capacity, blood lipids, glucose metabolism, endothelial function,
and inflammation will be measured pre- and post-intervention. Results may help in
establishing exercise protocols not only for children with obesity, but also other
inflammatory diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and arthritis.

Inclusion Criteria:

- 13-17 years old

- obesity (defined as as BMI≥ 95th percentile for age and sex as defined by the Centers
for Disease Control

Exclusion Criteria:

- active participation in ≥30 minutes of vigorous exercise more than 2 days per week

- participation in an organized combined diet/exercise weight loss intervention

- acute inflammatory disease or febrile illness

- recent trauma or injury

- asthma requiring steroid use or that has resulted in hospitalization within 3 months
prior to enrollment

- chronic disease known to affect inflammation (e.g. lupus)

- any renal, heart, or liver disease