Table 1 Characteristics of included studies*

Daley et al., 2006 [67]

United Kingdom

47 Asian, Black and White male and female adolescents 11 to 16 yrs of age assigned to an exercise therapy group (n = 28) or an exercise placebo group (n = 23)

3 days/wk of aerobic exercise, 40-49% HRR, 30 min/session for 8 wks (24 sessions) followed by an at home program for 6 wks

Davis et al., 2012 [68]

United States

222 overweight Black, White and Hispanic male and female children ages 7–11 yrs assigned to a low dose $\left(\mathrm{n}=71,\mathrm{\text{age}},\overline{\mathrm{{\rm X}}}\pm \mathrm{SD}=9.3\pm 0.9\mathrm{\text{yrs}}\right)$, or high dose $\left(\mathrm{n}=73,\mathrm{\text{age}},\overline{\mathrm{{\rm X}}}\pm \mathrm{SD}=9.4\pm 1.2\mathrm{\text{yrs}}\right)$ aerobic or control $\left(\mathrm{n}=78,\mathrm{\text{age}},\overline{\mathrm{{\rm X}}}\pm \mathrm{SD}=9.4\pm 1.1\mathrm{\text{yrs}}\right)$ group

5 days/wk, running games, jump rope, modified basketball and soccer, average HR >150 bpm, 2–20 min sessions/day (high dose) or 1 – 20 min session/day (low dose) for 10–15 wks (school semester)

Farpour-Lambert et al., 2009 [62]

Switzerland

44 pre-pubertal obese male and female children assigned to an exercise $\left(\mathrm{n}=22,\mathrm{\text{age}},\overline{\mathrm{{\rm X}}}\pm \mathrm{SD}=9.1\pm 1.4\mathrm{\text{yrs}}\right)$ or control $\left(\mathrm{n}=22,\mathrm{\text{age}},\overline{\mathrm{{\rm X}}}\pm \mathrm{SD}=8.8\pm 1.6\mathrm{\text{yrs}}\right)$ group

3 days/wk, 30 min of aerobic exercise at 55-65% VO₂max, 20 min strength training, 10 min stretching/cool down in addition to physical education for 3 months

Hagstromer et al., 2009 [69]

Sweden

31 obese male and female adolescents assigned to an exercise $\left(\mathrm{n}=16,\mathrm{\text{age}},\overline{\mathrm{{\rm X}}}\pm \mathrm{SD}=13.7\pm 2.0\mathrm{\text{yrs}}\right)$ or control $\left(\mathrm{n}=15,\mathrm{\text{age}},\overline{\mathrm{{\rm X}}}\pm \mathrm{SD}=13.6\pm 2.2\mathrm{\text{yrs}}\right)$ group

1 hr/wk of group activities (brisk walking, spinning, strength training (50-70% 1RM), swimming) for 13 wks

Kelly et al., 2004 [63]

United States

20 overweight male and female children and adolescents assigned to an exercise $\left(\mathrm{n}=10,\mathrm{\text{age}},\overline{\mathrm{{\rm X}}}\pm \mathrm{SD}=11.0\pm 0.63\mathrm{\text{yrs}}\right)$ or control $\left(\mathrm{n}=10,\mathrm{\text{age}},\overline{\mathrm{{\rm X}}}\pm \mathrm{SD}=11.0\pm 0.71\mathrm{\text{yrs}}\right)$ group

4 days/wk, stationary cycling, 30–50 min/session, 50-80% VO_2max, for 8 wks

Maddison et al., 2011 [70]

New Zealand

322 Maori, Pacific, ZN Euro/other overweight and obese male and female children assigned to an active video game intervention $\left(\mathrm{n}=160,\overline{\mathrm{{\rm X}}}\pm \mathrm{SD}=11.6\pm 1.1\mathrm{\text{yrs}}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{\text{age}}\right)$ or to a sedentary video game control $\left(\mathrm{n}=162,\overline{\mathrm{{\rm X}}}\pm \mathrm{SD}=11.6\pm 1.1\mathrm{\text{yrs}}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{\text{age}}\right)$ group

60 min moderate to vigorous PA on most days of the wk by 1) supplementing periods of inactivity w/active video game play and 2) substituting periods of nonactive video games with active ones, for 12 wks

Meyer et al., 2006 [71]

Germany

67 obese male and female children assigned to an exercise $\left(\mathrm{n}=33,\overline{\mathrm{{\rm X}}}\pm \mathrm{SD}=13.7\pm 2.1\mathrm{\text{yrs}}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{\text{age}}\right)$ or control $\left(\mathrm{n}=34,\overline{\mathrm{{\rm X}}}\pm \mathrm{SD}=14.1\pm 2.4\mathrm{\text{yrs}}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{\text{age}}\right)$ group

3 days/wk, 60–90 min/session, supervised swimming, aerobic training, sports games, and walking, for 6 months

Murphy et al., 2009 [72]

United States

35 overweight male and female children 7 to 12 yrs of age assigned to either an exercise (n = 23) or delayed treatment control (n = 12) group

5 days/wk of home-based Dance, Dance Revolution (DDR),10-30 min/session while wearing a pedometer to count steps for 12 wks

Shaibi et al., 2006 [73]

United States

22 overweight, adolescent Latino males assigned to either a resistance training $\left(\mathrm{n}=11,\overline{\mathrm{{\rm X}}}\pm \mathrm{SD}=15.1\pm 0.5\mathrm{\text{yrs}}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{\text{age}}\right)$ or control $\left(\mathrm{n}=11,\overline{\mathrm{{\rm X}}}\pm \mathrm{SD}=15.6\pm 0.5\mathrm{\text{yrs}}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{\text{age}}\right)$ group

2 days/wk, resistance training,10 exercises, 1–3 sets, 8–15 reps, 62-97% 1RM, 1–2 min rest between sets, for 16 wks

Weintraub et al., 2008 [74]

United States

21 overweight Hispanic/Latino, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander male and female children, assigned to either a coed soccer $\left(\mathrm{n}=9,\overline{\mathrm{{\rm X}}}\pm \mathrm{SD},9.5\pm 0.58\mathrm{\text{yrs}}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{\text{age}}\right)$ or active placebo nutrition and health education $\left(\mathrm{n}=12,\overline{\mathrm{{\rm X}}}\pm \mathrm{SD},10.34\pm 0.84\mathrm{\text{yrs}}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{\text{age}}\right)$ group

3-4 days/wk, 75 min activity/session for soccer group; 25-session, weekly state-of-the-art information-based nutrition and health education intervention for active placebo group, for 6 months