Longitudinal assessment of body composition by different methods as product of a integral intervention for treating obesity in Chilean children school Evaluación longitudinal de la composición corporal por diferentes métodos como producto de una intervenc

Abstract

Introduction: In Chile, the main nutritional problem of children, is obesity. The alarming increase in childhood obesity, has generated an urgent need to develop prevention and treatment programs, unfortunately, the results have been disappointing because they have not achieved the expected impact on the nutritional status of the target population. For this it is necessary to use other strategies, such as incorporating exercise of muscle strength. Objective: To determine the impact of an integral intervention (exercise, nutritional education and psychological support) in the body composition of obese school children after the intervention and post-intervention. Methods: The sample consisted of 61 obese children (BMI ≥ p 95) of both sex, between 8 and 13 years old, who participated in an integral intervention for treating childhood obesity in the short term (3 months) and medium term (12 months). Body composition was assessed by isotope dilution, plethysmography, radiographic absorptiom