Table 2.

Interventions with a quasi-experimental pre- and post- design.

Study, Year and Author	Intervention Type, Duration, Intensity and Time Characteristics	Intervention Setting	Age and Characteristics of Participating Children	Intervention Benefits on Obesity and Measured Comorbidity Outcomes	Recommendation for Effectiveness on Comorbidities
Effective interventions
Yli-Piipari et al., 2018, USA [50].	12 weeks of supervised PA (moderate/vigorous, 60 min, twice a week) and nutrition education for parents/guardians.	Paediatric primary care setting.	Overweight/obese Hispanic children; Mean age = 11 years.	Change in mean BMI (kg/m2): −2.2, p = 0.04.	Short-term supervised high-intensity PA targeting high-risk adolescents was effective in reducing diabetes risk.
				Change in mean BMI%: −2.53, p = 0.02.
				Change in mean BMI z-score: −3.64, p = 0.002.
				Change in mean WC (cm): −2.57, p = 0.02.
				Change in mean fasting glucose: −6.43, p < 0.001.
Williford et al., 1996, USA [55].	15 weeks of supervised PA only (5 days/week, 45-min sessions of PE classes + conditioning programme).	School.	Predominantly African American children; Age range 12 to 13 (7th grade).	Change in sum of 7 skinfold thickness (mm): −1.31, p = 0.09.	Short-term, more frequent, moderate-intensity PA was effective in improving serum lipid profile, regardless of BMI.
				Change in mean HDL (mmol/L): 0.28, p < 0.05.
				Change in mean LDL (mmol/L): −0.32, p < 0.05.
Van der Heijden et al. 2010, USA [98].	12 weeks of supervised PA (twice a week, 30-min aerobic exercise session at ≥70% of peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak)).	Primary care (equipped laboratory in a hospital).	Lean and obese Hispanic children; Median age = 15 years.	Change in intrahepatic fats: Obese: −3.3, p < 0.05; Lean: No change.	Well-controlled short-term high-intensity exercise intervention was effective in reducing diabetes risk, only in high-risk obese children.
				Change in visceral fats: Obese: −5.1, p < 0.05; Lean: No change.
				Change in fasting insulin: Obese: −3.6, p < 0.01; Lean: No change.
				Change in HOM-AIR: Obese: −0.8, p < 0.01; Lean: No change.
Rieder et al., 2013, USA [66].	6 months of supervised PA (60 min/week, moderate) and lifestyle education.	Community.	Mixed ethnic minority children; Mean age = 15 years.	Change in mean BMI (kg/m2): −0.7/month, p < 0.001.	Medium-term, moderate-intensity supervised PA was effective at the community level in adolescents with obesity.
				Change in mean BMI z-score: −0.003/month, p < 0.001.
Hollar et al., 2010, USA [77].	2 years of unsupervised PA and dietary modifications.	School.	Predominantly Hispanic children; Mean age = 7.8 years.	Mean BMI: Maintained normal BMI, p = 0.02.	Longitudinal unsupervised PA with diet education was effective for the maintenance of healthy BMI in minority groups.
Eichner et al., 2016, USA [83].	5 years of unsupervised, unstructured PA (walk to school and team sports).	School.	Indian American children; Aged 12–15 years.	Change in BMI z-score: 0.7 to 0.7.	Very long duration, unsupervised, unstructured PA maintained BMI in American Indian adolescents.
Dos Santos et al., 2020, USA [84].	8 weeks of supervised PA (vigorous, e.g., lap runs).	School.	Overweight/obese mainly Hispanic children; Aged 10–16 years.	Change in BMI (kg/m2): −0.51, p = 0.012.	Short duration, supervised, high-intensity PA reduced obesity in high-risk Hispanic adolescents.
				Change in waist to hip ratio: −0.01, p < 0.001.
No significant effects of intervention
Yin et al., 2012, USA [49].	18 weeks of supervised, unstructured and structured PA (free play and 15 – 20 min PA), nutrition promotion and parental education.	Community centres and homes.	Hispanic children; Mean age = 4.1 years and range = 3 to 5 years.	Change in mean BMI z-score: −0.09, p = 0.09.	Short-term low-intensity PA and nutrition education was ineffective in very young Hispanic children.
Yin et al., 2005, USA [51].	24 weeks of intervention, including 129 days of after-school PA (moderate intensity, 80 min per week) and the provision of healthy snacks.	School (school and after-school sessions).	Predominantly African American children; Mean age = 8.7 years.	Change in mean BMI (kg/m2): 0.1, p > 0.05.	Short-term moderate-intensity PA was ineffective in reducing obesity or its comorbidities among African Americans.
				Change in %BF: −0.76, p = 0.027.
				Change in FM (Kg): −0.29, p = 0.17.
				Change in FFM (kg): 0.18, p = 0.12.
				Change in mean WC (cm): −0.4, p = 0.32.
				Change in mean SBP (mmHg): −1.8, p = 0.15.
				Change in mean DBP (mmHg): −1.1, p = 0.41.
				Change in mean TC (mg/dL): −0.2, p = 0.94.
				Change in mean HDL (mg/dL): 0.7, p = 0.64.