Is Structured Exercise Effective in Pediatric Weight Loss?

How Weight Loss and Gain Works

• The CDC reports that childhood overweight and obesity is the result of "caloric imbalance." Your body burns energy -- measured in calories -- through activity, and brings in more calories when you eat. If a child consumes more calories than she burns, her body stores the excess as fat. If she burns more than she consumes, her body burns fat to get the energy she needs. Pediatric weight loss relies on creating a negative caloric imbalance to burn off the extra fat.

Structured Exercise and Weight Loss

• If a child engages in structured exercise, it's likely he will burn more calories than if he did not. Those extra calories may create the negative caloric imbalance required to lose weight, depending on the intensity of exercise and what the child would have done if not participating in structured exercise. A child who exercises instead of playing video games will burn more calories with the structured exercise program, while a child who would otherwise be hiking or playing pick-up basketball with friends might burn fewer.

Exercise

• Activity is only one-half of the weight loss equation. A child will only lose weight if she eats fewer calories than she burns. Adding exercise to her daily routine without adding extra meals should prove effective for weight loss, but adding exercise and allowing more food because of the workout can result in additional weight gain.

Other Factors

• Some health problems, for example unaddressed food allergies or an untreated thyroid disorder, can cause weight gain out of proportion with a child's calorie balance. If this is the case with your child, exercise won't necessarily help with weight loss. In some cases it can even be counterproductive until these issues are addressed. Check with your child's doctor if you suspect there is a medical issue underlying his weight gain.

Bottom Line

• The most effective plans for pediatric weight loss include both vigorous activity and a diet that restricts calorie intake. Structured exercise is one effective option for the vigorous activity part of this weight-loss plan. However, structured exercise on its own is far less likely to result in weight loss.

Common Sense Caution

• You should always check with your child's doctor before beginning any new program of diet or exercise. Exercising while overweight or obese can risk joint damage or even heart attacks. Your pediatrician will be able to suggest safe exercises for a child whose body isn't accustomed to such activity.