Accelerometer-determined physical activity and the cardiovascular response to mental stress in children.
OBJECTIVE
Cardiovascular reactivity has been associated with future hypertension and cardiovascular mortality. Higher physical activity (PA) has been associated with lower cardiovascular reactivity in adults, but little data is available in children. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between PA and cardiovascular reactivity to mental stress in children.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
This study sample included children from the Oswego Lead Study (n=79, 46% female, 9-11 years old). Impedance cardiography was performed while children participated in a stress response protocol. Children were also asked to wear Actigraph accelerometers on their wrists for 3 days to measure intensity and duration of PA and sedentary time.


RESULTS
In multivariable models, moderate to vigorous (MV) PA was associated with lower body mass index (BMI) percentile and lower total peripheral resistance (TPR) response to stress (beta=-0.025, p=0.02; beta=-0.009, p=0.05). After additional adjustment for BMI, MVPA was also associated with lower diastolic blood pressure response to stress (beta=-0.01, p=0.03). Total PA and sedentary time were not associated with BMI or cardiovascular responses to stress.


CONCLUSIONS
A modest, inverse relation of PA to vascular reactivity to mental stress was observed in children. These data provide confirmatory evidence that the promotion of PA recommendations for children are important for cardiovascular health.
Section of Preventative Medicine and Epidemiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States; The Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States. Electronic address: Spartano@bu.edu.
Nicole L
NL
Spartano
Department of Exercise Science, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, United States.
Kevin S
KS
Heffernan
Department of Public Health, Food Studies, and Nutrition, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, United States.
Amy K
AK
Dumas
Department of Public Health, Food Studies, and Nutrition, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, United States.
Brooks B
BB
Gump
D061725:Accelerometry / Q000379:methods*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002307:Cardiography, Impedance / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000502:physiology*
Blood pressure; Heart rate; Pediatrics; Sedentary lifestyle; Vascular resistance