Abstract
Research on obese adults has shown that their ventilatory dynamics differ from normal weight adults; however, the ventilatory dynamics of obese and non-obese children have never been documented. Thus, the ventilatory responses of 73 overweight youth (BMI >85th percentile) were compared to 73 age, sex and height-matched normal weight youth (BMI <85th percentile), during 15 min of rest and steady-state exercise at 4, 5.6 and 8 kph. Overweight youth had higher oxygen uptakes (\( \dot{V}{\text{O}}_{2} , \) mL/min), ventilation (\( \dot{V}_{\text{E}} \)), tidal volume (V T), frequency (f R), physiological dead air space (V D) and V D/V T ratios than normal weight youth (P < 0.02); however, end-tidal CO2 (PETCO2), \( \dot{V}_{E} /\dot{V}{\text{O}}_{2} \) and \( \dot{V}_{E} /\dot{V}{\text{CO}}_{2} \) were similar. Inspiratory drive (V T/t i) was greater for overweight youth at rest and during exercise. The correlation between PETCO2 and inspiratory drive was significant for the overweight group at 5.6 and 8 kph (r = 0.23–0.44), but not significant for the normal weight youth (r = −0.04 to 0.10). The greater drive, respiratory frequency and physiologic dead air space of overweight youth suggest that their adiposity modifies ventilation dynamics during exercise. However, the modifications appear to meet the metabolic demands of exercise.
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This study was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Nursing Research, grant number NR01-4564 (J.S. Harrell, P.I.). The authors do not have any professional relationship with companies or manufacturers who would benefit from the results of this study.
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Communicated by Nigel Taylor.
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McMurray, R.G., Ondrak, K.S. Effects of being overweight on ventilatory dynamics of youth at rest and during exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 111, 285–292 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-010-1651-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-010-1651-z