Background: The global pandemic of obesity has led to an increased risk for prediabetes and type-2 diabetes
(T2D). The aims of the current project are: (1) to evaluate the effect of a 22-week family based intervention
program, including supervised exercise, on insulin resistance syndrome (IRS) risk in children with a high risk of
developing T2D and (2) to identify the profile of microRNA in circulating exosomes and in peripheral blood
mononuclear cells in children with a high risk of developing T2D and its response to a multidisciplinary
intervention program including exercise.
Methods: A total of 84 children, aged 8–12 years, with a high risk of T2D will be included and randomly assigned
to control (N = 42) or intervention (N = 42) groups. The control group will receive a family based lifestyle education
and psycho-educational program (2 days/month), while the intervention group will attend the same lifestyle
education and psycho-educational program plus the exercise program (3 days/week, 90 min per session including
warm-up, moderate to vigorous aerobic activities, and strength exercises). The following measurements will be
evaluated at baseline prior to randomization and after the intervention: fasting insulin, glucose and hemoglobin
A1c; body composition (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry); ectopic fat (magnetic resonance imaging); microRNA
expression in circulating exosomes and in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (MiSeq; Illumina); cardiorespiratory
fitness (cardiopulmonary exercise testing); dietary habits and physical activity (accelerometry).
Discussion: Prevention and identification of children with a high risk of developing T2D could help to improve
their cardiovascular health and to reduce the comorbidities associated with obesity.
