title: Physical activity below the minimum international recommendations improves oxidative stress, ADMA levels, resting heart rate and small artery endothelial function.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A moderate level of physical activity (PA), such as a daily 30-min walk, reduces cardiovascular risk. There is a lack of evidence about the cardiovascular benefits of PA below this recommendation of minimum PA level.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to study the impact of a lower level of PA on cardiovascular health.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-four overweight/obese men and women were enrolled in a community programme consisting of 4 months of 1h, low-intensity PA two days per week. Before and after the intervention, PA level (METs/h/wk), endogenous antioxidant status (SOD and GPX concentration and activity and oxidised LDL), ADMA concentrations, endothelial function by small artery reactive hyperaemia index (saRHI), and resting heart rate (RHR) were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After the intervention, significant increases in saRHI (P=0.031), SOD and GPX activities, and a decrease in ADMA plasma concentrations, and RHR (P<0.001 for all) were observed. Increases in PA were positively associated with increases in saRHI (r=0.341, P=0.022), GPx (r=0.303, P=0.047) and decreases in RHR (r=-0.302, P=0.047). Multivariate analyses showed that independent predictors of saRHI improvement were an increase in PA (2.65, 95%CI: 1.21-4.01), decrease in RHR (1.91, 95%CI: 1.01-4.98), and an increase in GPx (2.61, 95%CI: 1.16-5.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In obese and overweight men and women, an increase in PA, even below the minimal international recommendations, improves antioxidant capacity, RHR and peripheral small artery reactivity.
authors.affiliation: Vascular Medicine and Metabolism Unit and Research Unit on Lipids and Atherosclerosis, Sant Joan University Hospital, IISPV, Rovira i Virgili University, Reus, Tarragona, Spain; Spanish Biomedical Research Network in Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Disorders (CIBERDEM), Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: jordi.merino@urv.cat.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Merino
authors.affiliation: Vascular Medicine and Metabolism Unit and Research Unit on Lipids and Atherosclerosis, Sant Joan University Hospital, IISPV, Rovira i Virgili University, Reus, Tarragona, Spain; Spanish Biomedical Research Network in Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Disorders (CIBERDEM), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ferré
authors.affiliation: Vascular Medicine and Metabolism Unit and Research Unit on Lipids and Atherosclerosis, Sant Joan University Hospital, IISPV, Rovira i Virgili University, Reus, Tarragona, Spain; Spanish Biomedical Research Network in Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Disorders (CIBERDEM), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Girona
authors.affiliation: Reus Esport i Lleure, Ajuntament de Reus, Reus, Tarragona, Spain.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Aguas
authors.affiliation: Vascular Medicine and Metabolism Unit and Research Unit on Lipids and Atherosclerosis, Sant Joan University Hospital, IISPV, Rovira i Virgili University, Reus, Tarragona, Spain; Spanish Biomedical Research Network in Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Disorders (CIBERDEM), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cabré
authors.affiliation: Vascular Medicine and Metabolism Unit and Research Unit on Lipids and Atherosclerosis, Sant Joan University Hospital, IISPV, Rovira i Virgili University, Reus, Tarragona, Spain; Spanish Biomedical Research Network in Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Disorders (CIBERDEM), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Plana
authors.affiliation: Atención Primaria, Institut Català de la Salut, Tarragona, Spain; Institut d'Investigació en Atenció Primària IDIAP Jordi Gol, Catalunya, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vinuesa
authors.affiliation: Vascular Medicine and Metabolism Unit and Research Unit on Lipids and Atherosclerosis, Sant Joan University Hospital, IISPV, Rovira i Virgili University, Reus, Tarragona, Spain; Spanish Biomedical Research Network in Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Disorders (CIBERDEM), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ibarretxe
authors.affiliation: Atención Primaria, Institut Català de la Salut, Tarragona, Spain; Institut d'Investigació en Atenció Primària IDIAP Jordi Gol, Catalunya, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Basora
authors.affiliation: Vascular Medicine and Metabolism Unit and Research Unit on Lipids and Atherosclerosis, Sant Joan University Hospital, IISPV, Rovira i Virgili University, Reus, Tarragona, Spain; Spanish Biomedical Research Network in Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Disorders (CIBERDEM), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buixadera
authors.affiliation: Vascular Medicine and Metabolism Unit and Research Unit on Lipids and Atherosclerosis, Sant Joan University Hospital, IISPV, Rovira i Virgili University, Reus, Tarragona, Spain; Spanish Biomedical Research Network in Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Disorders (CIBERDEM), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Masana
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; C018524:N,N-dimethylarginine; D001120:Arginine
keywords: ADMA; Actividad física; Estrés oxidativo; Función endotelial de pequeñas arterias; Oxidative stress; Physical activity; Small artery endothelial function