ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The primary purpose of this study was to investigate
6-minute walk test (6MWT) performance in young children who
were normal weight (NW) and overweight (OW). METHODS:
Seventy children, 5-9 years of age, participated in this study.
The 6MWT was performed on an indoor walkway. Heart rate
(HR), blood pressure (BP), and oxygen saturation (SaO2) were
measured. A self-reported physical activity questionnaire was
completed by a parent/guardian. Data were analyzed with
independent t tests, ANOVA, correlation analyses, and logistic
regression. RESULTS: The systolic BP values were higher in the
children who were OW compared with their NW peers (resting
mean 104.1 (8.9) mmHg vs. 97.5 (7.8) mmHg, P < 0.05; post-
6WMT: mean 118.4 (10.78) mmHg vs. 109.9 (9.1) mmHg,
P < 0.05). The SaO2 values were lower in the children who
were OW compared to their NW counterparts (resting: mean
97.2 (1.1) % vs. 98.0 (1.0) %, P < 0.05; post-6WMT: mean
96.8 (1.0) % vs. 97.7 (1.0) %, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS:
The children who were OW had higher systolic BP and lower
SaO2 levels at rest and post-6WMT. More research is needed to
determine if these differences contribute to children who are
OW having difficulty performing exercise.