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Intensive Exercise to Improve Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Pediatric Obesity

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Mass General Brigham

Status

Unknown

Conditions

Mitochondrial Dysfunction
Insulin Resistance
Pediatric Obesity

Treatments

Behavioral: Lifestyle counseling
Behavioral: Exercise

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other
NIH

Identifiers

NCT00962806
DK084118
Partners IRB: 2009P-000173

Details and patient eligibility

About

Obesity and type 2 diabetes are occurring at epidemic rates in the United States and worldwide. The global burden of diabetes is estimated to double over the next 25 years. Obese children are at risk for the development of insulin resistance, relative insulin deficiency and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). The prevention of type 2 DM is hindered by the lack of a non-invasive predictive test, knowledge as to individual risk and effective preventative measures. There is increasing evidence that alterations in mitochondria contribute to the development of diabetes in humans. Therefore, it is important to explore mitochondrial dysfunction as a potential predictor of diabetes in children and a potential target for prevention. The aims of the proposed protocol are to determine whether an intensive exercise intervention can improve mitochondrial function in children identified as having mitochondrial dysfunction and insulin resistance. The use of a non-invasive imaging technique will allow for a functional in vivo assessment of mitochondrial activity. The investigators propose the investigation of an intensive exercise protocol designed to improve mitochondrial function in children who are insulin resistant and have documented mitochondrial dysfunction by magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The study is designed to investigate the plasticity of abnormal mitochondrial function in high risk children. In summary, the proposed projects will investigate mitochondrial function as a non-invasive predictive marker for the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus in children and attempt to modify mitochondrial function with an intensive exercise intervention. The study of mitochondrial dysfunction in children may both identify those at risk for disease and provide a molecular therapeutic target for prevention and treatment.

The investigators hypothesize that children with insulin resistance and mitochondrial dysfunction who are randomized to intensive exercise versus standard lifestyle advice will show improvement in mitochondrial function and insulin sensitivity.

Enrollment

40 estimated patients

Sex

All

Ages

10 to 18 years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

  • Girls and boys ages 10 to 18 years old

  • Body mass index more than 95th percentile for age and gender

  • Insulin resistance based on:

    • Fasting parameters: Fasting insulin level, HOMA IR
    • Oral glucose tolerance testing
  • Mitochondrial function > 1 median for normal based on control cohort

Exclusion criteria

  • Underlying medical problem with potential to affect growth, pubertal development or glucose homeostasis
  • Chronic medical therapy with glucocorticoids, growth hormone, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, or other medications with the potential to alter growth, pubertal development or glucose homeostasis within the proceeding 6 months
  • Personal history of DM
  • Inability to have MRI scan performed due to metal prosthesis or implant

Trial design

Primary purpose

Treatment

Allocation

Randomized

Interventional model

Parallel Assignment

Masking

None (Open label)

40 participants in 2 patient groups

Exercise
Active Comparator group
Description:
8 week intensive exercise group
Treatment:
Behavioral: Exercise
Control Lifestyle counseling
Other group
Description:
Lifestyle counseling without intensive exercise
Treatment:
Behavioral: Lifestyle counseling

Trial contacts and locations

1

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Data sourced from clinicaltrials.gov

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