Fatmax in children and adolescents: A review

Abstract The purpose of this review is to summarize and critically examine the literature that has determined Fatmax in children and adolescents (young people). Maximizing fat oxidation during exercise may be beneficial for health, particularly in the management of metabolic diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. Exercise intensity largely determines fat oxidation during exercise. Fatmax is the relative exercise intensity that elicits the highest fat oxidation rate and has received increasing attention in recent years. Studies in young people have demonstrated that there is considerable inter‐individual variation in Fatmax, which generally occurs between 30 and 60% of peak oxygen uptake. Factors that may influence Fatmax in young people include body composition, physical maturation, and exercise training. Several researchers have suggested that Fatmax and fat oxidation rates may be reduced in obese compared with non‐obese young people. Fatmax and fat oxidation rates may also decrease with maturational status. Much of the research on Fatmax in young people has focused on boys, with research comparing Fatmax between the sexes extremely limited. The available evidence indicates that Fatmax is similar between boys and girls, whereas absolute rates of fat oxidation may be higher in boys. The use of Fatmax as a training tool for the obese has been examined in young people and may have implications for improving fat oxidation and various health markers. However, several weaknesses may be highlighted in many studies that have identified Fatmax in young people, and inconsistencies in the methods used to determine Fatmax limit comparisons between studies. Therefore, conclusions based on these findings require further investigation. Additional research is also required to assess the influence of other factors associated with Fatmax in young people, including exercise mode, cardiorespiratory fitness, and free‐living physical activity.