Effect of Physical Activity an Stress in Children

Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Physical Activity; Children; Obesity; Snacking; Stress

Treatments: Behavioral: Acute physical activity intervention; Behavioral: placebo

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01693926

286/12

Details and patient eligibility

About

The objective of the study is to evaluate the impact of physical activity in obese and nonobese prepubertal children on:

1. biological stress responses during a psychosocial stress test
2. snacking and feeling of hunger in response to the same psychosocial stress test
3. the moderating factor of attachment on the biological stress responses and on snacking

Children will be investigated on one study day during 3.5 hours.

Full description

Hypotheses In this study, 3 primary hypotheses will be tested.

1. Moderate physical activity during 25 min in children decreases the cortisol levels in response to the Trier Social Stress Test TSST-C (for children).
2. Moderate physical activity during 25 min in children decreases the snacking (calorie consumption when corrected for expenditure and switch in quality of food intake) in response to the Trier Social Stress Test TSST-C (for children).
3. A secure attachment will be a moderating factor for the general increase in cortisol and the snacking in response to the psychosocial stress test (Trier Social Stress Test TSST-C).

Secondary objectives:

1. To test if the impact of physical activity on stress responses and snacking differs between obese and non-obese children
2. To test the impact of physical activity on the cardiovascular stress reactivity (blood pressure, heart rate) and the perceived stress (scale) in response to the Trier Social Stress Test TSST-C?
3. To test if the stress reactivity and its modulation by physical activity is different in anxious and in impulsives/labile children
4. To test if serious life events and parental worries and parental educational style influence the stress reactivity

Enrollment: 50 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 7 to 10 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• 7-10 year old children

Exclusion criteria

• Severe illness
• Medications interfering with study

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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50 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

Acute physical activity intervention

Experimental group

Description:

25 min of moderate physical activity

Treatment:

Behavioral: Acute physical activity intervention

Placebo

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

25 min of reading (instead of physical activity)

Treatment:

Behavioral: placebo