Randomized controlled trial to improve adiposity, inflammation and insulin resistance in obese African-American and Latino youth
Hasson RE, Adam TC, Davis JN et al. (2012) Obesity 20: 811-818.
Objective: To examine ethnic differences in responses to 16 week interventions designed to improve adiposity, insulin sensitivity and inflammation.
Design: Randomized controlled trial in free living teenagers comparing a control group (n=30) with a group given nutrition advice once a week (principally to reduce sugar intake and increase in fibre) (n= 39) and a second intervention group that added strength training twice a week to nutrition advice (n=31).
Setting: Los Angeles ,USA
Participants: Obese teenage volunteers: 48 African-American, 52 Latino, mean age 15.4, mean BMI at 97.3 percentile of distribution.
Main outcome measures: Strength, diet, body composition (DXA and MRI), OGTT, IVGTT, inflammatory markers and hepatic fat content.
Results: There were no effects of either intervention on adiposity (however measured) or most measures of inflammation. There were significant improvements in insulin sensitivity measures only in the nutrition group, and these differed with ethnicity. Significant reduction in hepatic fat was seen only in the nutrition plus strength training group who also improved their strength.
Conclusions: Both ethnic groups improved their metabolic health but some improvements were not seen in the African-American volunteers.
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