The impact of recreational beach tennis associated with nutritional counseling on cardiometabolic risk factors in adolescents: a randomized clinical trial.

Both beach tennis alone and beach tennis plus nutritional counseling increased HDL cholesterol after 12 weeks, with no difference between groups.

• HDL increased by +3.8 mg/dL in the BT group (p < 0.05).
• HDL increased by +5.9 mg/dL in the BT+N group (p < 0.001).
• There were no differences between groups in HDL change.
• The trial randomized 40 adolescents (aged 11-14 years; 20 per group) over 12 weeks.

Fasting glucose decreased only in the group that received beach tennis plus nutritional counseling.

• The decrease was observed in the BT+N group only, not in the BT group.
• BT+N received nutritional counseling once a week in addition to twice-weekly beach tennis sessions.

Time x group interactions favored the BT+N group for triglycerides, waist circumference, body fat percentage, and systolic blood pressure.

• Triglycerides: time x group interaction p < 0.01.
• Waist circumference: p < 0.001.
• Body fat percentage: p < 0.05.
• Systolic blood pressure: p < 0.001.
• Analyses followed the intention-to-treat principle.

No significant changes were observed in LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, or insulin in either group.

• These outcomes were measured at baseline and after 12 weeks.
• The abstract reports no significant changes for these three parameters.

Recreational beach tennis alone improved some cardiometabolic parameters, but adding nutritional counseling yielded broader benefits.

• The study compared BT alone (twice weekly sessions) with BT plus weekly nutritional counseling.
• The sample was 67% female, and 45% were overweight or obese.
• Authors conclude integrated lifestyle interventions are valuable for reducing cardiometabolic risk factors in adolescents.