Teenagers with Obesity at the Gym: Recommendations for Physical Activity, Diet, and Supplementation

Julian Simpson
7 days ago
4 min read

Obesity in children and adolescents is a growing public health concern, associated with numerous physical and psychological health issues. According to the World Health Organisation, over 340 million children and adolescents aged 5–19 were classified as overweight or obese—a figure that has more than quadrupled since 1975

The current exercise recommendations for adolescents, this means at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day

Getting the correct amount of exercise can lead to the prevention of

cardiovascular complications of obesity,

such as an increased risk of hypertension

metabolic syndrome,

dyslipidemia,

and insulin resistance

research shows that over 80% of adolescents aged 11–17 years are insufficiently physically active, and overweight and obese children tend to spend more time in sedentary activities

Medical Aspects of Gym Training in Adolescence

Strength training, as part of a structured exercise program, can contribute to weight management and improve body composition

It may also enhance muscular strength and endurance, enabling participation in other forms of physical activity. In the long term, it can help reduce body fat and increase lean muscle mass

Strength training is generally not recommended for children and adolescents with uncontrolled hypertension, seizure disorders, or a history of anthracycline-based chemotherapy for childhood cancer without additional medical evaluation and/or treatment

Strength training is particularly beneficial for treating overweight or obese children and adolescents, as it improves body composition by reducing fat mass, especially in central areas, and is also associated with increased insulin sensitivity in overweight teenagers

Training should follow the traditional structure of an exercise session, consisting of a warm-up, main part, and cool-down.

The warm-up should be based on aerobic exercises, while the cool-down phase should focus on calming the body and normalizing physiological parameters such as the heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and respiration

The effectiveness of training becomes visible after approximately eight weeks of consistent effort.

Recommendations, indications, and contraindications for strength training in adolescents with obesity.

Part of Training	Intensity/Time	Recommendations	Contraindications
Warm-up	5–10 min Dynamically, with gradually increasing load	General rehabilitation exercises. Aerobic exercises. Exercises targeting the motor preparation of the trained muscle groups. The proposed form may include endurance training on a cycle ergometer, ensuring offloading of the lower limb joints.	Anaerobic exercises. Endurance training on a treadmill is recommended to be avoided.
Proper training	Duration: 20–30 min (up to 12 years of age), then 45 min Repetitions: 10–12 exercises, with 5–15 repetitions per exercise Rest intervals: Short breaks between exercises Rest duration: A 60 s rest is generally assumed, although there is no conclusive data on this Technique instruction: Taught progressively, adapted to the child’s abilities	Low-load exercises that incorporate proper breathing control, with a gradual increase in load. Exercises engaging both agonist and antagonist muscle groups. Up to 10–12 years of age, bodyweight resistance is recommended, with the possible addition of light resistance (e.g., medicine ball) to enhance training variety and develop all motor skills. Exercises involving various types of throws, dribbling, and kicking. Exercise positions should ensure spinal stabilization, particularly of the lumbar spine, in low positions (lying, sitting), semi-high positions (kneeling, squats, supports), and high positions (standing). From 12 to 14 years of age (up to a maximum of 16 years), isometric exercises are progressively introduced in combination with auxotonic contractions (a combination of isometric and isotonic contractions). A gradual increase in load is recommended using resistance bands, resistance tubes, unloaded barbells, dumbbells, or machine exercises.	Exclusion of jumping, hopping, and running on hard surfaces.
Cool-down	5–10 min training regulating Clarke’s parameters (respiration, heart rate, blood pressure)	Breathing exercises to improve muscle flexibility. Exercises in low positions to promote relaxation of activated muscle groups. Rolling with the use of small equipment such as balls, rollers, and foam rollers is also recommended.	Springing, deepening the movement.
General guidelines	Frequency: 2–3 times per week Minimum training duration: 8–12 weeks	Type of exercise: Individual or group sessions, engaging exercises. Recommendation: Alternating strength training with other physical activities. Health monitoring: Use of health-monitoring devices such as wristbands, accelerometers, and devices capable of tracking heart rate (HR).	Avoiding daily strength training.

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Kozioł-Kozakowska A, Wójcik M, Mazur-Kurach P, Drożdż D, Brzęk A. Teenagers with Obesity at the Gym: Recommendations for Physical Activity, Diet, and Supplementation-A Narrative Review. Nutrients. 2025 May 26;17(11):1798. doi: 10.3390/nu17111798. PMID: 40507066; PMCID: PMC12157274.