The authors assessed in 78 obese subjects, mean age 11.7 years the incidence of the metabolic syndrome and prepared a multidisciplinary non-pharmacological therapeutic programme. Its effectiveness was investigated during five-week spa treatment. A complete picture of the metabolic syndrome with insulin resistance, impaired lipid metabolism and systemic hypertension was found in 10% of the patients. A non-pharmacological therapeutic programme involving diet, exercise and balneotherapy led to a mean 10% decline of body weight. The impaired lipid metabolism found in 80% of the subjects at the onset of treatment improved in all and the same applies to the physical fitness level. The attained results provide evidence that non-pharmacological therapeutic programmes in obese children are effective and lead to repair of deviations which condition in adult age cardiovascular complications of IHD.

        Key words: risk factors of IHD, obese children, spa treatment