Association of heart rate recovery after exercise with indices of obesity in healthy, non-obese adults

Abstract

We aimed at determining whether body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) are associated with heart rate recovery (HRR) and to demonstrate which of the three indices of obesity, is the strongest predictor of HRR in apparently healthy non-obese adults. Three hundred and twenty-five subjects aged 18-66 years participated in the study. Anthropometric indices were measured, and subjects performed cycle ergometer exercise at 75-85% maximum heart rate. Heart rate (HR) was measured during the last minute of exercise and in the first minute of post-exercise recovery. A partial correlation test and a multiple linear regression analysis, after adjusting for age and peak oxygen uptake indicated that the best predictors of HRR were BMI in males and WHR in females. The present data suggest that, HRR is independently related to indices of obesity-BMI, WC, and WHR and strengthen the usefulness of these anthropometric indices in predicting cardiovascular risks. In addition, the findings suggest that BMI in men and WHR in women best express the relationship between obesity and cardiovascular risks.

Obesity Modifies the Effect of Fitness on Heart Rate Indices during Exercise Stress Testing in Asymptomatic Individuals

“…Similar to our study, another study found that the peak HR, CI and HRR are attenuated in obese individuals compared to those with normal weight [11], but are higher with increasing METS [10,28]. These findings suggest that obesity is associated with autonomic dysfunction.…”

“…Obesity has also been implicated in all-cause and CVD-related mortality, accounting for as many as 112,000 excess deaths yearly [7]. Obesity is associated with poor exercise HR profiles, including lower peak HR, slower HRR and lower CI [8,9,10,11]. …”

Relação entre a frequência cardíaca de recuperação após teste ergométrico e índice de massa corpórea

“…A associação entre obesidade e redução da RFC após esforço pode ser explicada com base em outras pesquisas, as quais constituem evidências diretas ou indiretas dessa relação. Estudos transversais e prospectivos têm demonstrado associação entre RFC atenuada e parâme-tros antropométricos de obesidade, tanto na presença de fatores de risco cardiovasculares 19,20 como na ausência destes 21,22 .…”

Relationship between adiposity and heart rate recovery following an exercise stress test in obese older women

“…For non-parametric variables (disease, medications, chronotropic incompetence, and chrono-tropic index), a Chi square for proportions was used and Cramer's V test of association was applied. First, the multiple linear regression utilized the forward step elimination method for independent variables in the model (percent body fat, BMI, MET, WC, WHR, hypertension, diabetes, and age], according to recommendations from literature 13,12,22 .The continuous dependent variable (1 minute HR recovery) was chosen based on previous research 22 . It is noteworthy that the time constant of an earlier phase of the heart rate (e.g.…”

“…Furthermore, a study in obese subjects with low levels of physical fitness revealed an impaired chronotropic index and HRR during and after exercise stress testing 10 . Several studies have shown that parameters of obesity negatively affect HRR following exercise [11][12][13] . Barbosa et al 13 analysed the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and HRR after one minute of exercise and demonstrated that obese subjects (>30 kg/m 2 ) presented higher basal HR and lower maximum HR accompanied by reduced chronotropic reserve.…”