Growth rate reduction during energy restriction in obese adolescents

The advantages of a non-restrictive diet for preservation of growth and maturation rates during the treatment of obese children at early stages of their puberty, were investigated comparing two groups of subjects with similar characteristics after one year undergoing two different therapeutic procedures. Both comprises diet, physical training, education and psychological support, and the only difference between them was that energy intake in the control group was restricted to 0.17 MJ/kg of expected body weight for stature, while in the experimental group energetic contents of the diet was fitted to the physiological requirements for age, sex and physical activity (0.25 MJ/kg)