School-based soccer practice is an effective strategy to improve cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors in overweight children

We examined the effects of a 6-month school-based soccer programme on cardiovascular (CV) and metabolic risk factors in overweight children. Methods: 40 boys [8–12 years; body mass index (BMI) >2 standard deviations of WHO reference values] participated in complementary school-based physical education classes (two sessions per week, 45–90 min each). The participants were divided into a soccer group (SG; n = 20) and a control group (CG; n = 20). The SG intervention involved 3 extra-curricular school-based soccer sessions per week, 60–90 min each. The intervention lasted for 6-months. All measurements were taken at baseline and after 6-months. From baseline to 6-months, the SG significantly improved (p <.05) BMI z-score, waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, percentage of fat mass, percentage of fat-free mass, diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, but no such improvements were observed for the CG. After the intervention, the prevalence of soccer participants with normal waist-to-height ratio (30 vs. 5%; p =.037), systolic blood pressure (90 vs. 55%; p =.039), total cholesterol (80 vs. 65%; p =.035) and LDL-C (90 vs. 75%; p =.012) were significantly higher than at baseline. The findings suggest that a 6-month school-based soccer intervention program represents an effective strategy to reduce CV and metabolic risk factors in overweight children prepared to take part in a soccer program.