Response of metabolic syndrome components to honey intake as an add-on therapy to free walking exercise in children: a randomized controlled trial

Background
The use of oral honey intake has been limited in evidence-based clinical practice, particularly in children.

Objectives
This 12-week study aimed to assess the response of metabolic syndrome (MetS) components to oral natural honey intake as an add-on therapy to free walking exercise in children with MetS.

Material and methods
Forty children with MetS were randomly divided into two groups of 20. While children in the control group performed 30 minutes of continuous free walking daily, children in the study group followed the same walking program, in addition to taking natural, unprocessed honey by mouth for 12 weeks. Waist circumference (WC) and body mass index (BMI) were assessed. Moreover, fasting glucose (FG), triglycerides (TG), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were assessed. For all children, manual measurements of systolic pressure (SP) and diastolic pressure (DP) were recorded.

Results
All components of MetS significantly improved in response to free walking alone or combined with honey consumption; however, the most substantial improvement in all MetS components occurred in the group that performed free walking combined with honey administration.

Conclusions
Adding honey administration to regular free walking significantly improves MetS components in children.