ORIGINAL ARTICLE   

Gazzetta Medica Italiana - Archivio per le Scienze Mediche 2020 April;179(4):224-30

DOI: 10.23736/S0393-3660.19.04074-9

Copyright © 2019 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Relation of fitness and fatness with heart rate recovery after maximal exercise in Nigerian adolescents

Danladi I. MUSA ¹ ✉, Abel L. TORIOLA ², Makama A. MONYEKI ³, Craig A. WILLIAMS ⁴

¹ Department of Human Kinetics and Health Education, Kogi State University, Anyigba, Nigeria; ² Department of Sport and Rehabilitation and Dental Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa; ³ Physical Activity, Sport and Recreation Focus Area, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa; ⁴ Children’s Health and Exercise Research Centre, Sports and Health Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK

BACKGROUND: Heart rate recovery is an independent risk factor for adverse cardiovascular events and overall mortality. While the prognostic value of delayed Heart rate recovery following cessation of exercise is well documented, relationship of aerobic fitness and fatness with heart rate recovery among youth is less clear. We hypothesized that a delayed fall in heart rate after a progressive aerobic cardiovascular endurance run (PACER) test might be due in part to the effects of fitness and overall adiposity.
METHODS: A total of 454 adolescents (224 boys and 230 girls) ages 12 to 16 years were evaluated for fitness, body fatness, baseline heart rate and one minute recovery heart rate (HRR1) after a PACER test. The participants were further divided into fit-fat groups to assess the influence of both fitness and fatness on HRR1. Regression models assessing the associations of the independent variables with HRR1were conducted.
RESULTS: Fatness was the only independent predictor of HRR1 in boys but not girls. Combined fitness and fatness modesty predicted HRR1 (R2=3%). One minute HRR scores varied by fit-fat groups, the fit/Healthy Weight group demonstrated the most favorable HRR1 recovery profiles while the unfit/overweight group showed the most adverse profiles.
CONCLUSIONS: Body fatness but not aerobic fitness was a better predictor of HRR1 in boys but not girls. Youth with higher aerobic fitness and Healthy Weight had more favorable HRR1 profiles than their unfit/Overweight peers.

KEY WORDS: Sex; Risk factors; Health promotion