Effects of ten week weight loss program on Metabolic Syndrome and cardiovascular risk factors in children and adolescents

The purpose of this study was to identify Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) among children and adolescents who enrolled and completed a medically supervised weight loss and activity program; and assess change in cardiovascular risk factors and MetS status upon completion of this ten week program. A secondary data analysis was conducted, from a proprietary database of 35 clinics in Southern California.; One hundred and thirty five children and adolescents (N = 135) completed a ten week weight loss program between January, 2005 and April, 2007. Fifty three (n = 53) of the 135 children and adolescents (39%) had MetS. After ten weeks, a mean weight loss of -9.24 kg (SD = -19.5 kg) was attained. Significant improvements were demonstrated in BMI pre (M = 33.63, SD = 6.52) to post intervention (M = 30.17, SD = 6.73), p < .01; waist circumference pre (M = 39.87, SD = 6.13) to post ( M = 35.74, SD = 5.84), p < .01; Systolic Blood Pressure pre (M = 111.24, SD = 13.49) to post (M = 105.46, SD = 9.62), p < .01; Diastolic Blood Pressure, pre (M = 71.24, SD = 8.68) to post (M = 67.90, SD = 6.74), p < .01; Triglycerides pre (M = 120.23, SD = 60.15) to post (M = 92.72, SD = 46.62), p < .01; total cholesterol pre ( M = 178.71, SD = 31.10) to post (M = 164.34, SD = 29.13), p < .01; LDL pre (M = 108.26, SD = 26.33) to post ( M = 99.10, SD = 5.84), p < .01; and HgbA1c pre (M = 5.32, SD = .91) to post intervention (M = 5.25, SD = .25), p < .01.; MetS remission was seen in 40 of the 53 (75.5%) children and adolescents. The analysis further supported clinical observations that weight loss can reduce MetS risk factors and cardiovascular risk. Power for this study was .86 for medium effect size and alpha = .05.