AIM: To observe and compare the effect of interventions with exercise, nutrition and exercise mixed with nutrition on the simple obesity in children. METHODS: From March to May 2005, a total of 131 children with simple obesity, aged from Six to eight years, Were selected from grade 1 to 5 of four primary schools of Yancheng. The children with body height and mass surpassed 20% of the standards suggested in WHO were regarded as simple obesity. The children were randomly divided into 4 groups: control group (n = 31), exercise group (n = 33), nutrition group (n = 32) and exercise+nutrition group (n = 35). There was no significant difference among the children before the experiment. (1) All the children were intervened with 12 weeks of sports, nutrition and exercise+nutrition, respectively. Sports content: exercise density: 50% maximum oxygen consumption and 65% maximum heart rate for each child; exercise frequency: 1 hour daily, 5 days every week. Nutrition control: the weight-lost speed was 0.3 to 0.5 kg every week. The caloric content proportion for 3 meals: the nutrition group: breakfast was 25%, lunch 50% and supper 25%; the exercise+nutrition group: breakfast was 25%, lunch 45% and supper 30%. Food proportion: fat 25% to 30%; protein 20% to 25%; sugar in staple (carbohydrate) 50%. The control group was not given any intervention. (2) The body mass, vital capacity, electrocardiogram (ECG), B-ultrasound, heart rate, blood pressure, the glucose, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high and low, density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C and LDL-C) in serum were detected before and after treatment, respectively. RESULTS: All 131 children were involved in the result analysis. (1) The methods of exercise and exercise+nutrition control reduced the body mass and improved the units of the body. The body mass of the children in the exercise group decreased 3.1 kg averagely, and the exercise+nutrition group decreased 2.2 kg averagely. (2) The fitness of body (vital capacity, grip strength, sitting trunk flexion, sitting up, standing long jump and step test indexes) was markedly improved by the exercise only or exercise+nutrition control compared with the control group and nutrition group. (3) The percentage of B ultrasonic abnormity in exercise group and exercise+nutrition group were decreased compared with before intervention; the percentage of abnormity of the ECG and B ultrasound in the nutrition group were obviously decreased than before intervention (p < 0.01). (4) The content of glucose, TG, TC and LDL-C in serum were markedly decreased, while the HDL-C was increased distinctly after exercise. CONCLUSION: (1) Exercise and exercise mixed with nutrition can effectively modulate the body mass and appearance of the obesity children, and the effect of exercise+nutrition control is better than the other. (2) The better method to reduce the body mass is to use the integrated exercise prescription. Besides the traditional method to reduce the body mass and improve the cardiopulmonary function, the strength and exercise ability of obesity children should be enhanced to make them form a good habit of exercise.

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