Effects of a multicomponent wellness intervention on dyslipidemia in an overweight adolescent population

Abstract

Epidemiologic studies suggest that atherosclerotic processes begin in childhood and are associated with abnormal lipid levels. Behavioral changes are the first line of treatment for dyslipidemia in adolescents but outcome data on the effectiveness of this approach are inconsistent. This study aimed to assess the effect of a 13-week multicomponent wellness intervention program on dyslipidemia in lean and overweight/obese adolescents enrolled at a public high school in Boston, Massachusetts. The intervention was conducted at a university-based youth fitness center where 9 overweight/obese adolescents (body mass index [BMI]≥85th percentile for age and sex) and 9 lean adolescents (BMIsex) participated in weekly nutrition classes and structured cardiovascular, flexibility and strength training 2 times/week for 5 weeks, followed by up to 4 times/week for 8 weeks. Clinical measurements (BMI, percent body fat, blood pressure [BP]) and lipid profile assessment (total cholesterol [TC], high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C], triglycerides [TG], and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C]) were performed at baseline and at completion of the intervention. At the completion of the study, the overweight/obese adolescents demonstrated a 15% increase in HDL-C levels (mean, 47 mg/dL vs 54 mg/dL) while there was no improvement in BMI, percent body fat, BP,TG, TC and LDL-C. The participants in the lean group showed no change in their anthropometric and serum parameters. A multicomponent wellness intervention resulted in a significant increase of cardioprotective HDL-C levels which has been associated with coronary health in adulthood. The long-term effects of this intervention on indicators of cardiometabolic health and others like it require further study.