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Physical Activity and Heart Rate Variability in Adolescents with Abdominal Obesity

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Abstract

Physical activity is a protective factor for autonomic dysfunction. However, whether this occurs in adolescents with abdominal obesity is still unclear. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the association between physical activity and heart rate variability (HRV) in adolescents with and without abdominal obesity. This cross-sectional study included 1152 boys (age: 17 ± 1 years). HRV measures of time (root mean square of the squared differences between adjacent normal RR intervals—RMSSD and the percentage of adjacent intervals over 50 ms—PNN50) and frequency domains (balance sympathetic–vagal—LF/HF) were evaluated, as well as total physical activity, commuting physical activity, leisure-time physical activity, and abdominal obesity. All physical activity domains were associated with better RMSSD, PNN50, and LF/HF in normal weight adolescents (p < 0.05), whereas in adolescents with abdominal obesity only leisure-time physical activity was associated with better PNN50 (b = 0.174, p = 0.035) independent of age, period of the day, body mass index, and blood pressure. In conclusion, higher leisure-time physical activity, but not total and commuting physical activity levels, was associated with improved HRV in adolescents with abdominal obesity.

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Funding

This work was supported by a Grant (Grant #481067/2010-8) from the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq). Additional support was provided by the following agency: the Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education (CAPES).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Group Research in Health and Sport, ASCES College, Caruaru, PE, Brazil

    Breno Quintella Farah

  2. Exercise Hemodynamic Laboratory, School of Physical Education and Sport, University of São Paulo, Av. Professor Melo Moraes, 65, São Paulo, SP, 05508-030, Brazil

    Aluísio Andrade-Lima

  3. Associate Graduate Program in Physical Education, University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil

    Antônio Henrique Germano-Soares & Mauro Virgílio Gomes de Barros

  4. Laboratory of Investigation in Exercise – LIVE, Department of Physical Education, University of Paulista State (UNESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Diego Giulliano Destro Christofaro

  5. Adolescent Health, University of Pernambuco, Camaragibe, PE, Brazil

    Mauro Virgílio Gomes de Barros

  6. Department of Human Movement Sciences, Federal University of São Paulo, Santos, Brazil

    Wagner Luiz do Prado

  7. Universidade Nove de Julho, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Raphael M. Ritti-Dias

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  1. Breno Quintella Farah
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  2. Aluísio Andrade-Lima
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  6. Wagner Luiz do Prado
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  7. Raphael M. Ritti-Dias
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Contributions

BQF conceptualized and designed the study, collected data, carried out the analyses, and drafted the initial manuscript. AA-L contributed to the interpretation of the data, carried out the analyses, and reviewed the manuscript. AHGS collected data, contributed to the interpretation of the data, and reviewed the manuscript. DGDC conceptualized and designed the study, carried out the analyses, and reviewed the manuscript. MVGB designed the data collection instruments, coordinated and supervised data collection, and reviewed the manuscript. WLP contributed to the interpretation of the data and reviewed the manuscript. RMR-D designed the data collection instruments, coordinated and supervised data collection, conceptualized and designed the study, and reviewed the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Aluísio Andrade-Lima.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

Ethical Approval

The study has been approved by Ethics Committee of the University of Pernambuco in compliance with the Brazilian National Research Ethics System Guidelines.

Informed Consent

Legal tutors signed informed consent for all underage subjects participating in this study. All adolescents aged ≥ 18 years who enrolled in the study also signed the informed consent.

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Farah, B.Q., Andrade-Lima, A., Germano-Soares, A.H. et al. Physical Activity and Heart Rate Variability in Adolescents with Abdominal Obesity. Pediatr Cardiol 39, 466–472 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00246-017-1775-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00246-017-1775-6

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