Daily physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, nutritional status, endothelial function, and autonomic modulation in school-age adolescents: A principal component analysis

Elisabeth A Machado; Paulo Farinatti; Fernando L Sicuro; Flávio Rodrigues Jr; Eliete Bouskela; Paulo F Collett-Solberg

doi:10.1016/j.orcp.2021.04.004

Daily physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, nutritional status, endothelial function, and autonomic modulation in school-age adolescents: A principal component analysis

Obes Res Clin Pract. 2021 May-Jun;15(3):205-211. doi: 10.1016/j.orcp.2021.04.004. Epub 2021 Apr 24.

Authors

Elisabeth A Machado¹, Paulo Farinatti², Fernando L Sicuro³, Flávio Rodrigues Jr⁴, Eliete Bouskela⁵, Paulo F Collett-Solberg⁶

Affiliations

¹ Clinical and Experimental Research Laboratory on Vascular Biology, Biomedical Center, University of Rio de Janeiro State, RJ, Brazil; Laboratory of Physical Activity and Health Promotion, Institute of Physical Education and Sports, University of Rio de Janeiro State, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. Electronic address: bethamachado6@gmail.com.
² Laboratory of Physical Activity and Health Promotion, Institute of Physical Education and Sports, University of Rio de Janeiro State, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Graduate Program in Physical Activity Sciences, Salgado de Oliveira University, Niterói, RJ, Brazil. Electronic address: ptvf1964@gmail.com.
³ Clinical and Experimental Research Laboratory on Vascular Biology, Biomedical Center, University of Rio de Janeiro State, RJ, Brazil; CESAM- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Santiago University Campus, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal. Electronic address: fsicuro@gmail.com.
⁴ Clinical and Experimental Research Laboratory on Vascular Biology, Biomedical Center, University of Rio de Janeiro State, RJ, Brazil. Electronic address: flaviorj00@live.com.
⁵ Clinical and Experimental Research Laboratory on Vascular Biology, Biomedical Center, University of Rio de Janeiro State, RJ, Brazil; Institute of Biology Roberto Alcântara Gomes, University of Rio de Janeiro State, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Electronic address: eliete.bouskela@gmail.com.
⁶ Clinical and Experimental Research Laboratory on Vascular Biology, Biomedical Center, University of Rio de Janeiro State, RJ, Brazil; Endocrinology Care Teaching Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Rio de Janeiro State, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Electronic address: paulofarinatti@labsau.org.

PMID: 33903023
DOI: 10.1016/j.orcp.2021.04.004

Abstract

Purpose: This study evaluated the association between cardiorespiratory fitness, abdominal obesity, blood pressure, endothelial function, and autonomic modulation in school-age adolescents exhibiting different levels of habitual physical activity and nutritional status, through a multivariate statistical approach.

Methods: 101 adolescents aged 15-18 years (54 females) underwent assessments of daily physical activity, body mass index, cardiorespiratory fitness, reactive hyperemia, and heart rate variability. Based on BMI adjusted for age and sex (z-BMI), 21 adolescents were classified as 'overweight' (9 girls), and 9 as 'obese' (4 girls). The common variation between those variables was assessed through Principal Component Analysis (PCA).

Results: Main axis of common variation of outcomes analyzed defined four principal components (PCs) accounting for 69.7% of overall variance, related to 'abdominal obesity and blood pressure' (PC1; eigenvalue=2.76), 'cardiorespiratory fitness, endothelial function, and autonomic modulation' (PC2, eigenvalue=1.98), 'cardiorespiratory fitness' (PC3, eigenvalue=1.21), and 'sedentary behavior' (PC4, eigenvalue=1.02). Girls reported longer screen time and sedentary behavior than boys. Notwithstanding, in both sexes poorer cardiorespiratory fitness corresponded to lower reactive hyperemia and vagal modulation, irrespective of the nutritional status. Overall, adolescents classified as 'obese' and 'sedentary' exhibited poorer CRF concomitantly to autonomic and endothelial dysfunctions.

Conclusion: In school-age adolescents, endothelial and autonomic dysfunctions related to poor cardiorespiratory fitness, irrespective of the nutritional status and physical activity level. However, endothelial and autonomic dysfunctions were more prevalent among adolescents combining poor cardiorespiratory fitness, reduced levels of daily physical activity, and overweight/obesity.

Keywords: Autonomic dysfunction; Cardiovascular risk; Endothelial dysfunction; Pediatric obesity; Physical inactivity.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Cardiorespiratory Fitness*
Exercise
Female
Humans
Male
Nutritional Status
Physical Fitness
Principal Component Analysis
Schools