Purpose: To assess the effect of 1 week of consuming a placebo “energy drink” compared with a week of drinking regular water on daily physical activity in obese children participating in a weight reduction multidisciplinary program. Methods: Seventeen prepubertal (age = 128.7 [26.6] m) overweight and obese children (7 females and 10 males) participated in the study. Participants received 7 bottles of mineral water per week for 2 weeks. Different types of information were randomly provided regarding the drink consumed in each week: standard (water) versus deliberate positive information (presumed energy drink and placebo). Daily step count was measured using pedometers and compared using paired t test. Results: After consuming the placebo drink, children demonstrated a significantly higher average daily step number (10,452 [4107]) compared with the days they drank water (8168 [2928], P < .005). This difference was attributed mainly to male participants. Conclusion: The use of placebo in the form of deliberate positive information was associated with a significant increase in real-life physical activity in overweight and obese children, especially in boys. Positive information may be used to encourage children with obesity to enhance daily physical activity and energy expenditure.

目的:评估服用安慰剂“能量饮料” 1 周与饮用常规水一周相比对参与减重多学科计划的肥胖儿童日常体力活动的影响。方法： 17名青春期前（年龄= 128.7 [26.6] m）超重和肥胖儿童（7名女性和10名男性）参加了研究。参与者每周收到 7 瓶矿泉水，持续 2 周。随机提供了关于每周饮用的饮料的不同类型的信息：标准（水）与故意的积极信息（假定的能量饮料和安慰剂）。使用计步器测量每日步数，并使用配对t检验进行比较。结果：饮用安慰剂饮料后，儿童的平均每日步数（10,452 [4107]）显着高于他们喝水的天数（8168 [2928]，P  < .005）。这种差异主要归因于男性参与者。结论：以故意的积极信息的形式使用安慰剂与超重和肥胖儿童，尤其是男孩的现实生活中的身体活动显着增加有关。正面信息可用于鼓励肥胖儿童加强日常体力活动和能量消耗。