No abstract

Several activity interventions in preschool settings exist, but little attention has been paid to effects on hemodynamic factors. The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of an exercise program on health-related outcomes including blood pressure (BP) and markers of vascular function in preschoolers, with focus on socioeconomic background. This study is a cluster-randomized controlled trial, with preschool as unit of randomization and children as unit of analysis. Preschools with 3-to 6-year-old children, stratified by social area, were randomly allocated to: intervention (three clusters, n = 92) including 2 d·wk −1 /45 min (6 months) exercise lessons or control (two clusters, n = 43). In total, 135 children (4.8 ± 0.8 y) had minimum one outcome measurement at baseline and follow-up. Primary outcome: peripheral BP. Secondary outcomes: central BP, pulse wave velocity (PWV), BMI, waist circumference, physical activity measures, motor skills. Maternal education was used as an indicator of socioeconomic status. Mixed models were applied to evaluate differences in mean change. Group allocation had no effect on primary or secondary outcomes. However, the intervention was effective in reducing increases in peripheral systolic BP (−3.4 mm Hg; 95% CI: −6.6; −0.2; P = 0.037), central systolic BP (−3.8 mm Hg; −6.4; −1.1; P = 0.006), and PWV (−0.1 m/s; −0.2; −0.0; P = 0.045) among children whose mothers had the lowest educational level. We found no evidence for effectiveness of a 6-months preschool-based exercise program on hemodynamics, anthropometrics, activity, or motor skills, but lack of process evaluations and poor fidelity preclude interpretation of the causal relation. However, the results indicate that children from lower social backgrounds could benefit from early exercise-promoting interventions. K E Y W O R D Sarterial stiffness, blood pressure, children, intervention, physical activity, preschool, social background

The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a school-based multi-activity HIIT on aerobic fitness (AF) and hemodynamic parameters in children. 46 students were randomized into an intervention group (INT) (N=22) and a control group (CON) (N=24). Throughout a 3-month intervention period, both INT and CON participated in the regular physical education classes (PE) twice a week. Only INT received an instructed HIIT during the first 20 min of the PE. In addition to an AF-test, peripheral (pBP) and central (cBP) blood pressure, augmentation pressure (AP), and aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV) were assessed. Significant differences in intervention effects in favor of INT were detected for AF (7.73, P=0.007), peripheral systolic BP (−6.13 mmHg, P=0.038), central systolic BP (−5.19 mmHg, P = 0.041), AP (−2.02 mmHg, P=0.013), and aPWV (−0.19 m/sec, P=0.031). The regular HITT intervention showed beneficial effects on AF, BP, and parameters of vascular stiffness already in children.

The present study suggests that acute endurance exercise leads not only to decreased BP but even more reduces aPWV as a measure of AS even after 60 minutes of recovery. In particular, the investigation provides evidence that acute moderate-intensity exercise has a favorable effect on BP and aPWV during stress testing.

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of a school-based exercise intervention on endurance performance (EP), blood pressure (BP), and arterial stiffness in children. Methods: A total of 105 students (mean age = 8.2 [0.6] y; 51% girls; body mass index = 17.8 [3.0] kg/m2) were randomized to the intervention group (IG, n = 51) and control group (CG, n = 54). During a 37-week experimental period, the IG received an exercise intervention (2 × 45 min/wk) in addition to their regular school physical education class (3 × 45 min/wk). EP, peripheral and central BP, pulse pressure, augmentation pressure, augmentation index, and aortic pulse wave velocity were assessed. Results: Following the intervention, significant changes (P < .05) in EP, peripheral and central systolic BP, pulse pressure, augmentation pressure, augmentation index, and aortic pulse wave velocity were found in the IG. Children in the CG displayed significant changes in peripheral and central diastolic BP. An analysis of the baseline-to-post changes revealed significant between-group differences in EP (P < .001), pulse pressure (P = .028), augmentation pressure (P = .007), and aortic pulse wave velocity (P = .037) that favored the IG and in peripheral and central diastolic BP that favored the CG. Conclusion: The school-based exercise intervention had beneficial effects not only on EP but also on different hemodynamic parameters.

Exergames may offer novel opportunities to expand physical activity. Most games, however, only result in low to moderate-intensity activities that are too low to allow relevant physical adjustments. In the present study, the exercise intensity of a new, heart rate controlled, functional fitness game was assessed. 28 subjects (aged 24.8±3.8 yrs; 46% female; BMI 23.2±2.3 kg/m2) were enrolled in this study. VO2max and maximal heart rate (HRmax) were assessed during a maximal graded exercise test on a treadmill and compared with the oxygen consumption (VO2) and heart rate (HR) during a game in the ExerCube.In the ExerCube, the subjects reached a peak HR of 187.43±9.22 bpm, which corresponds to 96.57±3.64% of their HRmax. The mean HR throughout the game was 167.11±10.94 bpm, corresponding to 86.07±4.33% of HRmax. VO2peak reached 41.57±5.09 ml/kg/min during the game in the ExerCube, which corresponds to 84.75±7.52% of VO2max. The mean VO2 consumption during the game reached 32.39±4.04 ml/kg/min, which corresponds to 66.01±5.09% of VO2max. The ExerCube provides a form of vigorous physical exercise. Due to its playful, immersive, and motivating nature, the ExerCube seems to be a promising tool to facilitate physical activity.

Summary:Background: Regular physical activity is known to reduce arterial pressure (BP). In a previous investigation, we could prove that even a single bout of moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MICE) causes a prolonged reduction in BP. Whether high-intensity interval training (HIIT) has a favourable infl uence on BP, and therefore may be followed subjects and methods by a prolonged BP reduction, should be examined on the basis of blood pressure response after exercise and during a subsequent stress test. Patients and methods: In 39 healthy men (aged 34 ± 8 years, BMI 24 ± 2), peripheral and central BP were measured noninvasively at rest and at the end of a 2-min cold pressor test (CPT) using a Mobil-O-Graph (24 PWA monitor, IEM). Following HIIT (6 x 1 min at 98% of the previously determined maximum wattage, 4-min rest between intervals) BP was measured again throughout 60 min of rest and thereafter during a CPT. The results were compared with those obtained before HIIT. Results: Similar to MICE, peripheral and central BPs were signifi cantly (p < 0.05) lower 45 min after HIIT. When analysing peripheral BP during a CPT before and after exercise, signifi cantly lower systolic (p < 0.001) and diastolic (p = 0.008) pressures were established after HIIT. This was true for systolic (p = 0.002) and diastolic (p = 0.006) central BP as well. Although there were no more signifi cant differences between pressures at rest before and 60 min after exercise, the increase in peripheral systolic pressure due to CPT was signifi cantly slower after HIIT (p = 0.019) when compared with BP during CPT before exercise. This was true for central systolic BP as well (p = 0.017). Conclusion: HIIT leads to a BP reduction, which can still be detected up to 45 min after completion of the training. Even 60 min after exercise, pressures during a CPT showed a reduced augmentation, indicating an attenuated hemodynamic response to stress testing after HIIT.

This study aimed to investigate whether a single bout of Self-myofascial Release (SMR) has a beneficial effect on peripheral and central Blood Pressure (BP) and different parameters of arterial stiffness. Twenty nine healthy male recreational athletes (26.1 ± 2.9 years, BMI 23.4 ± 1.5 kg/m2) completed an instructed SMR using a foam roller. Peripheral and central BP and different parameters of arterial stiffness were measured noninvasively before SMR and at different time points (t1, t15, t30) during a subsequent 30-min recovery phase. There was a significant decrease in both systolic (t15, −2.36 ± 4.45 mmHg, p = 0.05; t30, −4.01 ± 4.47 mmHg, p = 0.003) and diastolic (t30, −2.45 ± 5.45 mmHg, p = 0.025) peripheral pressure during the recovery phase after SMR. Regarding central BP, only systolic pressure showed a significant decrease (t30, −3.64 ± 5.83 mmHg, p = 0.003). Mean arterial pressure (t15, −1.91 ± 3.36, p = 0.03; t30, −3.05 ± 2.88 mmHg, p < 0.001), augmentation pressure (t30, −1.60 ± 2.40 mmHg, p = 0.009), peripheral resistance (t30, −0.09 ± 0.10 s* mmHg/ml, p < 0.001), and stiffness index β0 (t30, −0.33 ± 0.55, p = 0.021) were significantly reduced after SMR. No significant changes were determined for reflection coefficient, augmentation index, cardiac output, and heart rate, respectively. SMR showed effects on peripheral and central BP and different parameters of arterial stiffness in healthy young adults.