Effects Of Exercise Training With Dietary Restriction On Arterial Stiffness, Central Hemodynamic Parameters And Cardiac Autonomic Function In Obese Adolescents

Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to assess the effects of exercise with dietary restriction on arterial stiffness, central hemodynamics, and cardiac autonomic function in obese adolescents.

Patients and methods

Twenty-one obese adolescents completed a 6-week exercise and dietary program. Body composition and metabolic parameters were measured. Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) were used to assess central and systemic arterial stiffness, respectively. Using applanation tonometry, the analyses of central hemodynamic parameters [central blood pressure, heart rate (HR), augmentation index normalized at 75 bpm (AIx75), and subendocardial viability ratio (SEVR)] were performed. To determine cardiac autonomic function, heart rate variability (HRV) was analyzed by standard deviation of normal R–R intervals (SDNN), root mean square of successive R–R interval differences (RMSSD), percentage of successive R–R intervals that differed by >50 ms (pNN50), total power (TP), low-frequency (LF) and high-frequency (HF) power, and LF/HF ratio.

Results

Following the intervention, obese adolescents had reductions in body mass index, body fat percentage, brachial systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and HR; and they had shown improvements in lipid profiles. There were reductions in both cfPWV and baPWV following the intervention. Moreover, there were reductions in AIx75, aortic systolic and diastolic blood pressure and an augmentation in SEVR after intervention. The intervention increased cardiac autonomic function (determined by increased SDNN, RMSSD, pNN50, HF, and reduced LF/HF). Furthermore, we observed a correlation between increased cardiac autonomic function (SDNN, RMSSD, pNN50 and HF) and increased central hemodynamics, as measured by SEVR and AIx75.

Conclusion

Obese adolescents had increased central hemodynamics and autonomic function with reduced arterial stiffness after exercise and dietary restriction. Moreover, a positive correlation between an enhancement of cardiac autonomic function and an augmentation in central hemodynamics was found after the intervention.

Keywords:

• obesity
• adolescents
• exercise
• cardiac autonomic function
• arterial stiffness
• diet

Acknowledgments

The present study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant numbers 31771315, 31600969) and the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (grant number 2016A030313625).

Data Sharing Statement

The clinical study data used to support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon request.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.