Live Video Diet and Exercise Intervention in Overweight and Obese Youth: Adherence and Cardiovascular Health

ObjectiveTo evaluate adherence of overweight and obese adolescents to a live video lifestyle intervention. The impact on vascular and functional health was also assessed.Study designTwenty adolescents 14.5 ± 2.1 years of age with body mass index z-score 1.94 ± 0.43 were enrolled. The 12-week intervention included 3-times-weekly videoconference sessions with a trainer and weekly diet consultations. Adherence was evaluated by completion rate and percentage of sessions attended. Vascular health indices and traditional cardiovascular risk factors were obtained at baseline and study end.ResultsSeventeen participants (85%) completed the intervention. The participants attended 93 ± 11% of scheduled sessions. Reasons for absences included illness/injury (23%), school activities (21%), holidays (18%), forgetting the appointment (8%), Internet connectivity issues (7%), and family emergency (7%). Significant changes were observed in waist-hip ratio (0.87 ± 0.08 vs 0.84 ± 0.08, P = .03), total (159 ± 27 vs 147 ± 23 mg/dL, P = .004) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (91 ± 20 vs 81 ± 18 mg/dL, P = .004), volume of inspired oxygen per heartbeat at peak exercise (69 ± 16 vs 72 ± 15%, P = .01), and functional movement score (13 ± 2 vs 17 ± 1, P < .001). Participants with abnormal vascular function at baseline showed improvement in endothelial function and arterial stiffness indices (P = .01 and P = .04, respectively).ConclusionsA 12-week live video intervention promotes adherence among overweight and obese adolescents and shows promise for improving vascular and functional health. Integrating telehealth into preventive care has the potential to improve cardiovascular health in the youth at risk.