Effect of high-intensity childhood games on heart rate variability, saliva leptin concentrations, and body composition in children

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of high-intensity childhood games on cardiac autonomic regulation, obesity biomarkers, and body composition in overweight or obese children compared to moderate-intensity games. A single-blind, randomized controlled study was conducted including child...

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Main Authors: C.Y. Rodriguez-Triviño, S. Quintana, C.E. Osorio-Vélez, M. Garcia-Florez
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Associação Brasileira de Divulgação Científica 2025-06-01
Series:Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-879X2025000100648&lng=en&tlng=en
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author C.Y. Rodriguez-Triviño
S. Quintana
C.E. Osorio-Vélez
M. Garcia-Florez
author_facet C.Y. Rodriguez-Triviño
S. Quintana
C.E. Osorio-Vélez
M. Garcia-Florez
author_sort C.Y. Rodriguez-Triviño
collection DOAJ
description The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of high-intensity childhood games on cardiac autonomic regulation, obesity biomarkers, and body composition in overweight or obese children compared to moderate-intensity games. A single-blind, randomized controlled study was conducted including children aged 6 to 9 years with overweight or obesity. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: 33 in the moderate-intensity interval game group (MIIG) and 29 in the high-intensity interval game group (HIIG). The intervention lasted 16 weeks, with measurements conducted under double blinding. The study followed institutional ethical standards and was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (CT NCT05294601). A total of 74 children were recruited, with 7 excluded after sports medicine assessment, leaving 67 children randomized. Five participants dropped out during the study. HRV analysis revealed significant differences in frequency dominance in the HIIG group. High-frequency power, linked to parasympathetic dominance, increased from 59.3 to 65.8 nu (P=0.03), while low-frequency power, related to sympathetic activity, decreased from 40.6 to 34.13 nu (P=0.04). Salivary leptin concentrations decreased significantly from 0.33 to 0.32 ng/mL (P=0.008) in the MIIG group and from 0.35 to 0.32 ng/mL (P=0.004) in the HIIG group. Childhood games positively impacted anthropometry, HRV, and leptin concentrations in both intensity groups, indicating metabolic improvement. However, only the high-intensity strategy enhanced parasympathetic dominance and sympathetic-parasympathetic balance, potentially reducing long-term cardiovascular risk.
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spelling doaj-art-6ea25efb3d8846db8c9524031d16b2962025-08-20T02:39:31ZengAssociação Brasileira de Divulgação CientíficaBrazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research1414-431X2025-06-015810.1590/1414-431x2025e14479Effect of high-intensity childhood games on heart rate variability, saliva leptin concentrations, and body composition in childrenC.Y. Rodriguez-Triviñohttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-6884-3931S. Quintanahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-6995-8917C.E. Osorio-Vélezhttps://orcid.org/0009-0003-2145-1054M. Garcia-Florezhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-5168-3102The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of high-intensity childhood games on cardiac autonomic regulation, obesity biomarkers, and body composition in overweight or obese children compared to moderate-intensity games. A single-blind, randomized controlled study was conducted including children aged 6 to 9 years with overweight or obesity. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: 33 in the moderate-intensity interval game group (MIIG) and 29 in the high-intensity interval game group (HIIG). The intervention lasted 16 weeks, with measurements conducted under double blinding. The study followed institutional ethical standards and was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (CT NCT05294601). A total of 74 children were recruited, with 7 excluded after sports medicine assessment, leaving 67 children randomized. Five participants dropped out during the study. HRV analysis revealed significant differences in frequency dominance in the HIIG group. High-frequency power, linked to parasympathetic dominance, increased from 59.3 to 65.8 nu (P=0.03), while low-frequency power, related to sympathetic activity, decreased from 40.6 to 34.13 nu (P=0.04). Salivary leptin concentrations decreased significantly from 0.33 to 0.32 ng/mL (P=0.008) in the MIIG group and from 0.35 to 0.32 ng/mL (P=0.004) in the HIIG group. Childhood games positively impacted anthropometry, HRV, and leptin concentrations in both intensity groups, indicating metabolic improvement. However, only the high-intensity strategy enhanced parasympathetic dominance and sympathetic-parasympathetic balance, potentially reducing long-term cardiovascular risk.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-879X2025000100648&lng=en&tlng=enExerciseGames, RecreationalBody compositionChildHeart rate variability
spellingShingle C.Y. Rodriguez-Triviño
S. Quintana
C.E. Osorio-Vélez
M. Garcia-Florez
Effect of high-intensity childhood games on heart rate variability, saliva leptin concentrations, and body composition in children
Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research
Exercise
Games, Recreational
Body composition
Child
Heart rate variability
title Effect of high-intensity childhood games on heart rate variability, saliva leptin concentrations, and body composition in children
title_full Effect of high-intensity childhood games on heart rate variability, saliva leptin concentrations, and body composition in children
title_fullStr Effect of high-intensity childhood games on heart rate variability, saliva leptin concentrations, and body composition in children
title_full_unstemmed Effect of high-intensity childhood games on heart rate variability, saliva leptin concentrations, and body composition in children
title_short Effect of high-intensity childhood games on heart rate variability, saliva leptin concentrations, and body composition in children
title_sort effect of high intensity childhood games on heart rate variability saliva leptin concentrations and body composition in children
topic Exercise
Games, Recreational
Body composition
Child
Heart rate variability
url http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-879X2025000100648&lng=en&tlng=en
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