Changes in the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Are Associated with Improvements in Diabetes Risk Factors after Exercise Training in Adolescents with Obesity: The HEARTY Randomized Controlled Trial
Table 1
Participant characteristics at baseline.
Total sample ()
Exercise ()
Control ()
Males, (%)
66 (32.7)
50 (32.9)
16 (32)
Females, (%)
136 (67.3)
102 (67.1)
34 (68)
Age (years)
15.5 (1.4)
15.5 (1.4)
15.4 (1.3)
Weight (kg)
97.8 (17.1)
97.9 (16.7)
97.5 (18.3)
Height (cm)
168.1 (7.6)
168.0 (7.7)
168.3 (7.1)
BMI (m/kg2)
34.5 (4.4)
34.5 (4.1)
34.3 (5.1)
Percent body fat
49.1 (5.4)
49.3 (5.3)
48.5 (5.6)
Waist circumference (cm)
96.7 (10.6)
97.1 (10.3)
95.3 (11.2)
BDNF
26 (14.2)
26.2 (14.3)
25.2 (14)
Glucose
5 (0.4)
5.0 (0.4)
5.1 (0.4)
Insulin
103.6 (58)
99.4 (52.0)
116.4 (72.5)
HOMA %B
145.5 (50.4)
144.6 (50.6)
148.5 (50.3)
HOMA %IS
65.9 (30.3)
67.9 (31.3)
59.8 (26.5)
HbA1c (%)
5.0 (0.3)
5.0 (0.3)
5.0 (0.2)
Ethnicity, (%)
Caucasian
149 (73.8)
107 (70.4)
42 (84.0)
Black
14 (6.9)
12 (7.9)
2 (4.0)
Mixed racial
7 (3.5)
6 (3.9)
1 (2.0)
Arabic
8 (4.0)
7 (4.6)
1 (2.0)
Hispanic
9 (4.5)
9 (5.9)
0 (0.0)
Asian
6 (3.0)
5 (3.3)
1 (2.0)
Other
4 (2.0)
3 (2.0)
1 (2.0)
Native Canadian
4 (2.0)
2 (1.3)
2 (4.0)
Indonesian/Asian
1 (0.5)
1 (0.7)
0 (0.0)
Highest parental education, (%)
High school or less
30 (14.9)
22 (14.5)
8 (16.0)
College/university
172 (85.1)
130 (85.5)
42 (84.0)
Note: BMI = body mass index; BDNF = brain-derived neurotrophic factor; HbA1c = hemoglobin A1c; HOMA-B = homeostatic model assessment beta cell secretory capacity; HOMA-IS = homeostatic model assessment insulin sensitivity.
