Hormonal and metabolic adaptation to a reducing regimen in children.

The effect of a combined slimming regimen (5.2 MJ diet and a low to medium intensity motor activity) were studied in 20 moderately obese children. Blood samples were obtained on days 0, 10 and 52 of the regimen. Insulin and triacylglycerols decreased after 10 days of treatment and the reached levels were maintained up to day 52. Cortisol, T4 and T3 decreased throughout the whole regimen. Glucose and lactate first decreased, and then increased to reach initial levels. NEFA and beta-hydroxybutyrate moved opposite to glucose. The initial decrease and the terminal very high increase of growth hormone were, however, statistically not significant. The serum proteins remained unaffected. In addition to a mean loss of 9 kg, the favourable effect of the slimming regimen consisted in the decrease of insulinemia, cortisolemia and triacylglycerolemia. The unfavourable effect was seen in the decrease of T3, responsible for the decreasing weight loss in the course of slimming regimens.