The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of resistance training on resting blood pressure and heart rate variability in elderly postmenopausal women. 29 untrained, non-hypertensive elderly women were randomly assigned to 2 groups: an intervention group (n=15, 65.5±5.0 years, 57.3±6.5 kg, 156.7±5.1 cm) that underwent a supervised resistance training program (8 exercises, 2 sets, 10-15 repetitions, 3 times/week) or a control group (n=14, 66.2±4.1 years, 61.1±11.7 kg, 157.5±7.1 cm) that participated in a supervised stretching program (25-30 min/session, 2 times/week). Resting auscultatory blood pressure, heart rate variability, evaluated from short recordings in a seated position, and maximal dynamic strength (1-RM test) were measured at baseline and after 12 weeks. A group x time ANOVA revealed that muscular strength increased significantly in the resistance training group (+ 10.2% for bench press and +12.7% for leg extension, P<0.05). Systolic blood pressure was reduced significantly in the resistance training group from pre- to post-intervention period (- 5 mmHg; P<0.05), while no significant effect was noted for diastolic blood pressure and heart rate variability indexes (P>0.05). None of these variables changed in the control group throughout the study. In conclusion, a supervised resistance training program improved muscular strength and reduced systolic blood pressure without affecting diastolic blood pressure and heart rate variability in elderly postmenopausal women.

This study examined the effects of long-term creatine supplementation combined with resistance training (RT) on the one-repetition maximum (1RM) strength, motor functional performance (e.g., 30-s chair stand, arm curl, and getting up from lying on the floor tests) and body composition (e.g., fat-free mass, muscle mass, and % body fat using DEXA scans) in older women. Eighteen healthy women (64.9 ± 5.0 years) were randomly assigned in a double-blind fashion to either a creatine (CR, N = 9) or placebo (PL, N = 9) group. Both groups underwent a 12-week RT program (3 days week(-1)), consuming an equivalent amount of either creatine (5.0 g day(-1)) or placebo (maltodextrin). After 12 week, the CR group experienced a greater (P < 0.05) increase (Δ%) in training volume (+164.2), and 1RM bench press (+5.1), knee extension (+3.9) and biceps curl (+8.8) performance than the PL group. Furthermore, CR group gained significantly more fat-free mass (+3.2) and muscle mass (+2.8) and were more efficient in performing submaximal-strength functional tests than the PL group. No changes (P > 0.05) in body mass or % body fat were observed from pre- to post-test in either group. These results indicate that long-term creatine supplementation combined with RT improves the ability to perform submaximal-strength functional tasks and promotes a greater increase in maximal strength, fat-free mass and muscle mass in older women.

Strength is a fundamental component of physical fitness, and therefore should be precisely assessed. The purpose of this study was to analyze the number of testing sessions required to achieve consistent 1 repetition maximum (1RM) strength measurements in untrained older women. Forty-five untrained older women were measured for 1RM in bench press machine (BP), leg extension (LE) machine, and free weight arm curl (AC). Reliability coefficients for trials 1 and 2 for BP (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.973) and LE (ICC = 0.976) were higher than for AC (ICC = 0.953). Percent change from trial 1 to 2 for BP (3.5 ± 10.9%) and AC (3.8 ± 8.1%) was less than for LE (5.4 ± 6.2%), but all were significant increases between trials (p < 0.05). Trial differences were reduced to nonsignificant levels (p > 0.05) in the third trial for BP (0.0 ± 0.0%), LE (1.2 ± 3.0%) and AC (2.7 ± 5.9%). Reliability coefficients rose for BP and LE (ICC = 0.999) and AC (ICC = 0.963) when a third trial was performed. Bland and Altman plotting showed very small bias and limits of agreement (LoA) for both the exercises (BP: bias = 0 kg, limits of agreement = 0 kg; LE: bias = -0.16 kg, LoA = 2.21 kg; AC: bias = -0.11 kg, LoA = 1.72 kg). This approach to determine 1RM strength values produced rapid lifting technique familiarization resulting in a need of 2 to 3 test sessions to achieve consistent 1RM measurements in untrained older women.

The Omron HEM 742 monitor was proved valid for blood pressure measurement in adolescents according to the criteria suggested by the British Hypertension Society.

Este estudo teve por objetivo verificar a relação entre o desempenho em tarefas de habilidade motora grossa com o índice de massa corporal (IMC) em meninos e meninas de quatro a seis anos de idade. Para tanto, foram analisadas 27 crianças, sendo 16 meninos e 11 meninas, com idade média de 5,64 ± 0,67 anos. As crianças foram submetidas ao Test of Gross Motor Development - Second Edition (TGMD-2), proposto por Ulrich (2000) e ao Körperkoordinations-test für Kinder (KTK), proposto por Kiphard e Schilling (1974). A pontuação obtida nos dois testes foi reduzida a uma escala comum a ambos. Foi verificada a correlação entre essa escala e o IMC das crianças por meio do teste de correlação de Spearman, com P < 0,05. Não houve interação significativa entre as variáveis quando analisados meninos e meninas ou quando a análise foi conduzida com distinção de gêneros. Inclusive, não houve interação do IMC com tarefas que exigiam maior demanda de capacidades físicas, o que deve ser verificado em futuros estudos. A partir dos resultados, concluímos que o desempenho das crianças de quatro a seis anos em tarefas que envolviam habilidade motora grossa não se relacionou com o IMC.

BackgroundPhysical activity is recommended as a part of a comprehensive lifestyle approach in the treatment of hypertension, but there is a lack of data about the relationship between different intensities of physical activity and cardiovascular parameters in hypertensive patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between the time spent in physical activities of different intensities and blood pressure levels, arterial stiffness and autonomic modulation in hypertensive patients.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, 87 hypertensive patients (57.5 ± 9.9 years of age) had their physical activity assessed over a 7 day period using an accelerometer and the time spent in sedentary activities, light physical activities, moderate physical activities and moderate-to-vigorous physical activities was obtained. The primary outcomes were brachial and central blood pressure. Arterial stiffness parameters (augmentation index and pulse wave velocity) and cardiac autonomic modulation (sympathetic and parasympathetic modulation in the heart) were also obtained as secondary outcomes.ResultsSedentary activities and light physical activities were positively and inversely associated, respectively, with brachial systolic (r = 0.56; P < 0.01), central systolic (r = 0.51; P < 0.05), brachial diastolic (r = 0.45; P < 0.01) and central diastolic (r = 0.42; P < 0.05) blood pressures, after adjustment for sex, age, trunk fat, number of antihypertensive drugs, accelerometer wear time and moderate-to-vigorous physical activities. Arterial stiffness parameters and cardiac autonomic modulation were not associated with the time spent in sedentary activities and in light physical activities (P > 0.05).ConclusionLower time spent in sedentary activities and higher time spent in light physical activities are associated with lower blood pressure, without affecting arterial stiffness and cardiac autonomic modulation in hypertensive patients.

The VAMOS program was effective in improving eating habits and quality of life in patients with hypertension.

This study analyzed the effects of 12 weeks of resistance training (RT) on resting blood pressure (BP) and plasma levels of nitric oxide metabolites (NOx) in pre- and hypertensive older women, and evaluated the relationship between these 2 parameters. Thirty-five older women (68.2±5.7 years, 70.0±14.4 kg, 157.1±6.4 cm, 28.3±5.0 kg.m) were randomly allocated into a training group (TG; n=17), which performed a 12-week RT program, and a control group (CG; n=18), which did not perform any physical exercise. Anthropometry, one repetition maximum (1RM), body composition analysis by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, blood samples, and resting BP were measured. There was a significant interaction for all variables analyzed, in which reductions of systolic BP (-8.5%), diastolic BP (-8.4%), and mean arterial pressure (-8.5%), and increases of NOx (+35.2%) were observed only for the TG. Moreover, a negative and significant correlation was observed (P<0.05; r=-0.63) between NOx and systolic BP in the TG. Results suggest that a 12-week RT program is sufficient to induce reductions in BP in pre- and hypertensive older women and that the decrease in systolic BP is associated with an increase in plasma NOx concentration.