PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, GENETIC AND NUTRITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS IN CHILDHOOD WEIGHT MANAGEMENT: AN ACSM ROUNDTABLE 426

Speakers in this symposium will summarize information presented at a July 1996 ACSM Roundtable on weight management in children and adolescents Juvenile obesity is a serious, increasingly prevalent problem in technologically developed societies. Almost one quarter of US children are now obese, a dramatic increase of over 20% in the past decade. Body mass and composition are influenced by genetic factors and not only by the environment, but the actual heritability of juvenile obesity is not known. A low level of physical activity (PA) is characteristic of obese children and adolescents, and it may be a cause of development of juvenile obesity. There is strong association between the prevalence of juvenile obesity and the extent of TV viewing. A reduction in TV watching seems efficacious as a means of managing juvenile obesity. Enhanced PA can reduce body fat and arterial blood pressure and improve the lipoprotein profile. Its effect on body composition, however, is considerably slower than with low-calorie diets. To achieve long-standing control of overweight, one should combine changes in eating and activity patterns, using behavior modification techniques. However, the onus is also on our society to reduce incentives for a sedentary lifestyle and overconsumption of food.