The Ballistocardiogram in Overweight Young Adults

Abstract

The ability to record the mechanical function of the heart is the principal value of the ballistocardiogram. In young healthy individuals the ballistocardiogram is consistently normal. Since overweight is apparently an important factor in the development of degenerative heart diseases, a study was undertaken to correlate excess weight in otherwise healthy young students with their respective ballistocardiograms, obtained on a direct-body ballistocardiograph.