title: Physical activity, heart rate variability-based stress and recovery, and subjective stress during a 9-month study period.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between physical activity (PA) and objective heart rate variability (HRV)-based stress and recovery with subjective stress in a longitudinal setting. Working-age participants (n = 221; 185 women, 36 men) were overweight (body mass index, 25.3-40.1 kg/m2) and psychologically distressed (≥3/12 points on the General Health Questionnaire). Objective stress and recovery were based on HRV recordings over 1-3 work days. Subjective stress was assessed with the Perceived Stress Scale and PA level with a questionnaire. Data were collected at three time points: baseline, 10 weeks post intervention, and at the 36-week follow-up. We adopted a latent growth model to investigate the initial level and change in PA, objective stress and recovery, and subjective stress at the three measurement time points. The results showed that initial levels of PA (P < 0.001) and objective stress (P = 0.001) and recovery (P < 0.01) were associated with the change in subjective stress. The results persisted after adjustment for intervention group. The present results suggest that high PA and objectively assessed low stress and good recovery have positive effects on changes in subjective stress in the long-term.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Föhr
authors.affiliation: Methodology Centre for Human Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tolvanen
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Myllymäki
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, Clinical Nutrition, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Järvelä-Reijonen
authors.affiliation: Medical Faculty, Pharmacology, Medical Nutrition Physiology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Peuhkuri
authors.affiliation: Medical Faculty, Pharmacology, Medical Nutrition Physiology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rantala
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, Clinical Nutrition, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kolehmainen
authors.affiliation: Medical Faculty, Pharmacology, Medical Nutrition Physiology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Korpela
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lappalainen
authors.affiliation: VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ermes
authors.affiliation: Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland.|Institute of Behavioral Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Puttonen
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology of Physical Activity, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rusko
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.
authors.forename: U M
authors.initials: UM
authors.lastname: Kujala
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D050177:Overweight / Q000503:physiopathology; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: MET index; physiological stress; psychological stress; stress assessment; stress management