Exercise Effects on Body Composition in Male and Female Prepubescent Children

Abstract

The difference between the male and female body with respect to body composition post puberty is widely known and mostly understood. However, the difference between male and female prepubescent children regarding lean mass and fat mass, and changes in these measures with exercise training have not been extensively studied. A study was conducted at East Carolina University investigating the effects of a 16-week physical activity program on African American and Caucasian prepubescent children. The purpose of the present analysis was to use data from the larger study to examine the difference in body composition in male (M) and female (F) prepubescent children. Twenty four female and twenty two male, prepubescent children participated in the exercise group of the study with eleven females and ten males in the control group. Body composition was measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Measures were taken before and after a 16-week mentor based physical activity program with an intensity goal of heart rate >140 beats/min for one hour, 3 days per week. The lean mass increased 5.81± 0.95% in female and 4.33 ± 0.92% in male exercise groups, respectively. The control groups increased lean mass by 4.41 ± 0.83% in females and 4.34 ± 1.03% in males. This indicates that female prepubescent children had a greater increase in total lean body mass with exercise. The fat mass increased by 0.67 ± 1.51% in females and 3.48 ± 2.58 in male exercise groups, respectively. Fat mass increased in the control groups by 14.39 ± 3.86% in females and 7.07 ± 3.62% in males.