Association Between Physical Activity and Indicators of Overweight/Obesity and Metabolically Unhealthy Obesity Risk in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review of Prospective Epidemiological Studies and Randomized Controlled Trials in Western Countries.

ABSTRACT: This systematic review examined the etiologic association between physical activity (PA) and indicators of childhood overweight/obesity (OV/OB) and metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO) risk. Original peer-reviewed English reports published between January 01, 2013, and June 30, 2024, were retrieved from MEDLINE and Scopus. A total of 106 prospective epidemiological studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) conducted in Western countries among 2- to 19-year-olds with ≥12-month follow-up were eligible. Study quality was evaluated through risk of bias (RoB). Regarding OV/OB, epidemiological studies (n = 86, 57% high-RoB) revealed a protective effect of certain accelerometry-measured exposures: moderate-to-vigorous PA (n = 17/32), vigorous PA (n = 10/15), substituting lower-intensity wi

SUBMITTER: Georgoulis M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12685495 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature