Evaluation of exercise prescription for hypertensive obese men by ventilatory threshold.
BACKGROUND
Prescription of aerobic exercise for obese subjects with mild hypertension in clinical practice remains to be investigated.


METHODS
Forty-one Japanese obese males with hypertension were enrolled and compared with 41 age-and sex-matched obese subjects without hypertension and control subjects. In addition, 25 obese subjects with or without hypertension participated in a one-year follow up study. They were instructed to keep their low exercise intensity and record their daily walking. Before and after exercise prescription, body composition, blood pressure and aerobic exercise level were evaluated. Ventilatory threshold (VT) was determined breath by breath during exercise test using a ramp protocol and rates of oxygen consumption (VO2), work rate (WR), heart rate (HR), deltaHR, %HR max, %HR reserve and rate of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured at VT.


RESULTS
At VT, obese subjects with hypertension had significantly lower VO2 (13.5 +/- 2.1 mL/kg/min) and WR (75.1 +/- 16.5W) than control subjects (VO2, 18.1 +/- 5.7; WR, 92.0 +/- 32.4). %HR reserve was also significantly lower compared with control subjects, while %HR max, was not different. RPE was also similar among the 3 groups. By prescribed low-grade exercise during one-year follow-up study, not only body composition but also blood pressure at rest was improved in obese subjects with and without hypertension.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicated reduced exercise capacity in Japanese obese males. Exercise intensity of 60%HR max, 30%HR reserve and RPE 12 is recommended in obese subjects with hypertension as well as obese subjects without hypertension.
Miyatake
Nobuyuki
N
Okayama Southern Institute of Health, Japan. center@okakenko.jp
Nishikawa
Hidetaka
H
Morishita
Akie
A
Kunitomi
Mie
M
Wada
Jun
J
Makino
Hirofumi
H
Takahashi
Kayo
K
Kira
Shohei
S
Fujii
Masafumi
M
D000328:Adult; D015444:Exercise; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D055656:Prescriptions; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests