[Sports practice is related to parasympathetic activity in adolescents]

Impact of sports participation on components of metabolic syndrome in adolescents: ABCD growth study

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to analyze the impact of sports participation (12 months of practice) on the components of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in both sexes.

METHODS

This is an observational longitudinal study, a part of which is entitled "Analysis of Behaviors of Children During Growth" (ABCD Growth Study), Presidente Prudente, São Paulo, Brazil. The sample was composed of 171 adolescents (112 boys and 59 girls), divided into non-sports and sports groups. High-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-c), triglycerides, and glucose were analyzed by the colorimetric method of dry chemistry and processed biochemically. Systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure were measured using an automatic device. Body fat was estimated using a densitometry scanner.

RESULTS

Adolescents who practiced sports were younger (p-value=0.001) and had a lower peak height velocity (p-value=0.001) than the non-sports group. The differences (Δ) after 12 months were of greater magnitude for the sports group when compared to the non-sports group (p-value=0.013), glucose (moderate magnitude in favor of the sports group; p-value=0.001), HDL-c (small magnitude in favor of the sports group; p-value=0.0015), and MetS (moderate magnitude in favor of the sports group; p-value=0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The practice of sports in adolescents had a protective effect on the metabolic components of MetS.

Sports participation among Brazilian adolescents and children: systematic review

Abstract The aim of this study is to describe the prevalence of sports participation in Brazilian children and adolescents through a systematic literature review. A search was carried out in the following electronic databases: MEDLINE, WEB OF SCIENCE, BIREME, SCIELO, and SCOPUS for manuscripts published until 2020, combining the keywords: “children”, “adolescents”, “prevalence”, and “sports participation”, in Portuguese and English. Twenty-six articles published between 2003 and 2020 were included in the review, with the aim of estimating the prevalence of participation in organized sports in Brazilian children and adolescents. Considering the regions where the studies were carried out, the majority were developed in the south (57.7%; n=15), followed by the southeast (19.2%; n=05), and northeast (15.4%; n=04), in addition to 7.7% (n=02) in all regions of the country. The data showed prevalence of sports participation ranging from 15.0% to 73.2% (mean of 44.8%) among children and adolescents, being higher in males (63.1%). From the results found, the need to develop public policies is evident, in order to favor adherence and maintenance of young people to sports practice, especially among those of the female sex.

Participation in Non-professional Sports and Cardiovascular Outcomes Among Adolescents: ABCD Growth Study

OBJECTIVES

Sports are an important way to improve health during adolescence. However, it is still unclear whether the association between sports, blood pressure, and metabolic profile could be affected by sex, biological maturation, and trunk fatness. The aim of this study was to analyze the association between sports participation and the cluster of cardiovascular markers among adolescents of both sexes.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study involving 285 adolescents aged from 11 to 17 years of age (202 boys and 83 girls). Cardiovascular variables were composed of systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), resting heart rate (RHR), and carotid (CIMT) and femoral (FIMT) intima-media thickness, which were used to calculate the Cardiovascular_{Z score}. Sports participation was assessed through a face-to-face interview. Age of peak height velocity (APHV) was used as a covariate.

RESULTS

Among girls, the group engaged in sports presented lower values of RHR (sport: - 0.344 [95% CI - 0.650 to - 0.037] versus non-sport: 0.540 [95% CI 0.125 to 0.954]) and Cardiovascular_{Z score} (sport: - 0.585 [95% CI - 1.329 to 0.159] versus non-sport: 0.879 [95% CI - 0.127 to 1.884]), explaining 12.2% and 6.1% of all variance, respectively. Among boys, the group engaged in sports presented lower values of DBP (sport: - 0.158 [95% CI - 0.335 to 0.018] versus non-sport: 0.160 [95% CI - 0.091 to 0.412]) and FIMT (sport: - 0.128 [95% CI - 0.300 to - 0.044] versus non-sport: 0.211 [95% CI - 0.032 to 0.454]), explaining 2.2% and 2.6% of all variance, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE

Adolescents engaged in sports presented healthier cardiovascular parameters, and sports participation seems to affect cardiovascular health differently in boys and girls.

Is physical activity associated with resting heart rate in boys and girls? A representative study controlled for confounders

OBJECTIVE

Investigate the relationship between different domains of physical activity and resting heart rate (RHR) in boys and girls.

METHOD

The sample included 1011 adolescents, aged between 10 and 17 years. RHR was measured by a heart rate monitor and physical activity was assessed in total and in three different domains (school, occupational, and sports practice) by a questionnaire. Anthropometry was directly obtained for body mass index and central fat. Ethnicity, sedentary behavior, and smoking habits were self-reported and used to adjust the analysis, through hierarchical linear regression.

RESULTS

Total physical activity was associated with low RHR in boys (β=-0.52; 95% CI: -0.92, -0.12) and girls (β=-0.67; 95% CI: -1.07, -0.28). Although sporting physical activities were associated with low RHR in both boys (β=-0.58; 95% CI: -1.05, -0.11) and girls (β=-0.87; 95% CI: -1.34, -0.39), occupational physical activity was related to low RHR only in boys (β=-1.56; 95% CI: -2.99, -0.14).

CONCLUSION

The practice of physical activity in the sport practice domain and total physical activity were related to low RHR in both sexes, while occupational physical activities were associated with RHR only in boys.

Extended Central Tendency Measure and difference plot for heart rate variability analysis

Heart rate variability (HRV) is a non-invasive alternative to analyze the role of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) on heart functioning. Many tools have been developed to analyze collected cardiac data. Among them, the Central Tendency Measure (CTM) is a quantitative method for variability analysis of RR intervals. The values of the CTM must be between 0 and 1 (inclusive) for different radius, which follows the intrinsic characteristics of each time series. Using the conventional CTM, the successive differences of the time series may be calculated, and it can classify and differentiate the disturbances in the ANS involving HRV. This method was extended (e-CTM) to analyze the differences between RR interval time series. In this extension, a new parameter is added, which allows analysis of long time intervals, instead of successive and adjacent RR intervals. The ability of the e-CTM to differentiate the groups of the RR interval time series was verified with 145 RR interval time series divided into three groups: subjects with congestive heart failure, healthy subjects, and nurses during one hour of their workday. Results evidence that the new parameter added differentiates the group with pathology (and subsequent impairment of ANS) and group under stress at work (temporary impairment of ANS). These results suggest that the e-CTM is capable of detection long-term variations in the HRV according to the ANS impairment.

Effects of 9 Months of Martial Arts Training on Cardiac Autonomic Modulation in Healthy Children and Adolescents

PURPOSE

The aim of the study was to evaluate the cardiac autonomic modulation after 9 months of martial arts practice in healthy children and adolescents.

METHOD

The study included 59 children and adolescents who were divided into 3 groups: judo, Muay Thai, and control. Heart rate variability was measured by a heart rate monitor, model Polar RS800CX. The intervention occurred twice a week on nonconsecutive days, lasting 60 minutes each session. A 1-way analysis of variance was used to compare participants at baseline. The comparisons between groups at baseline and after the intervention were carried out by a 2-way analysis of variance for repeated measures.

RESULTS

After 9 months of intervention, significant increases were observed for root mean square successive differences, with higher values post compared with baseline (19.5%; P = .04). For SD1, an interaction effect was observed, with increased posttraining values compared with baseline (24.1%; P = .04) for the judo group. Qualitative analysis of the Poincaré plot showed greater dispersion of RR intervals, mainly beat to beat, after the judo intervention compared with the baseline. The Muay Thai and control groups presented no improvement.

CONCLUSION

After 9 months of intervention, there were increases in cardiac autonomic modulation of children and adolescents participating in judo training. The practice of martial arts, such as judo, can be encouraged from an early age to improve cardiovascular system functioning, possibly providing protection against cardiovascular problems.

Is cardiac autonomic function associated with cardiorespiratory fitness and physical activity in children and adolescents? A systematic review of cross-sectional studies

BACKGROUND

Heart rate variability (HRV) is considered to explain improvements in cardiovascular health accrued by physical activity (PA) and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) over and above traditional cardiovascular risk factors.

OBJECTIVE

To systematically address associations between HRV, PA and CRF in children and adolescents.

DATA SOURCES

Medline, EMBASE, SportDISCUS and CINAHL Plus were searched on 5th September 2015 and updated on 4th August 2016.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Observational studies comparing HRV in different groups of PA and CRF, and/or studies investigating associations between PA, CRF and HRV. Sports practices and PA intensities were also included. The square root of the mean of the sum of the squares of differences between adjacent RR intervals (RMSSD), the spectral density in the high (HF) and low (LF) frequency, and the LF/HF ratio were included. Risk of bias was assessed using the adapted Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS).

RESULTS

Heterogeneity exists in the assessment of the exposures and outcomes, and sample characteristics. Risk of bias (NOS) was observed in most of the studies. Studies with low risk of bias showed positive associations between moderate-to-vigorous PA and RMSSD. The evidence for the associations between PA and frequency indices is weak. Similarly, the evidence for the association between CRF and HRV is weak.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the heterogeneity in the studies, moderate-to-vigorous PA is positively associated with RMSSD, but less clear are the associations between CRF and HRV, as well as other PA intensities. Further research is needed to clarify the role of PA and CRF on HRV in children and adolescents.

Impact of physical exercise/activity on vascular structure and inflammation in pediatric populations: A literature review

PURPOSE

To describe the effects of physical exercise/activity on the vascular architecture of children and adolescents, as well as to identify the effects of inflammation and sedentary behaviors on this relationship.

METHODS

Potentially relevant articles were identified in the databases MEDLINE and PubMed covering the period from 2000 to 2015. No language restrictions were applied.

RESULTS

Thirteen articles were found that included obese boys and girls in their samples (aged 9-19). Six interventional studies assessed inflammation and in five of these, physical exercise decreased inflammation. In 10 studies, vascular architecture was affected by physical exercise/activity.

CONCLUSIONS

The impact of physical exercise on vascular architecture and inflammation seems relevant, but has been mainly investigated in obese groups.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

Health professionals should act together in organized interventions in schools, targeting the promotion of higher physical activity levels in children and adolescents.