Heart rate variability improves in 3-5-year-old children following a 6-month physical activity-based intervention: the Active Early Learning (AEL) cluster randomised controlled trial

Kathryn E Speer; Andrew J McKune; Rohan M Telford; Stuart Semple; Nenad Naumovski; Lisa S Olive; Richard D Telford

doi:10.1139/apnm-2021-0207

Heart rate variability improves in 3-5-year-old children following a 6-month physical activity-based intervention: the Active Early Learning (AEL) cluster randomised controlled trial

Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2021 Aug 25:1-9. doi: 10.1139/apnm-2021-0207. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Kathryn E Speer^{1

2}, Andrew J McKune^{1

2

3}, Rohan M Telford², Stuart Semple^{1

2}, Nenad Naumovski^{4

5

6}, Lisa S Olive^{7

8

9}, Richard D Telford²

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Health, Discipline of Sport and Exercise Science, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
² Research Institute for Sport and Exercise, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
³ Discipline of Biokinetics, Exercise and Leisure Sciences, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
⁴ Faculty of Health, Discipline of Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
⁵ Functional Foods and Nutrition Research (FFNR) Laboratory, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT, Australia.
⁶ Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Harokopio University, Athens, 17671, Greece.
⁷ School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
⁸ Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
⁹ IMPACT, The Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.

PMID: 34432989
DOI: 10.1139/apnm-2021-0207

Abstract

Heart rate variability (HRV) measurement provides non-invasive assessment of autonomic stability and cardiometabolic disease risk. Insufficient physical activity in early childhood may contribute to negative cardiometabolic health. The Active Early Learning (AEL) study was a 6-month randomised controlled trial investigating the effects of a physical activity-based program incorporating movement within the daily curriculum of preschool children. The current study assessed the effects of the AEL intervention on HRV as a measure of cardiac vagal control. Children aged between 3-5 years and enrolled in a preschool with an attendance of ≥15 children were eligible. Physical activity was recorded using an Actigraph wGT3x accelerometer worn at the waist of participants over 3 consecutive days. A Polar H10 chest strap measured HRV with the HF-band and RMSSD representing cardiac vagal control. After 6 months of the AEL trial, linear mixed model analyses revealed a significant intervention effect for increased HF (p = 0.044). The control group did not demonstrate changes in cardiac vagal control after the intervention ceased. Independent of age, sex, physical activity and BMI, the AEL study elicited significant improvements in the cardiac vagal control of participants who received the intervention. Findings highlight the importance of investigating HRV for assessing the cardiometabolic health in young children. ANZCTR trial registration number: ACTRN12619000638134. Novelty: The AEL curriculum improved child HRV independent of age, sex, physical activity and BMI. Heart rate and RR intervals did not demonstrate changes for the intervention and control groups. Multivariate programs for developing physical competence, confidence, knowledge and motivation may improve child health.

Keywords: activité physique; children; enfants; essai contrôlé randomisé; heart rate variability or HRV; littératie physique; physical activity; physical literacy; preschool; préscolaire; randomised controlled trial; variabilité de la fréquence cardiaque ou VRC.