Download Effect of moderate exercise on VO2 max and blood

SHORT COMMUNICATION
Effect of moderate exercise on VO2 max and
blood pressure in individuals with different body
mass index
1Glad
Mohesh MI, 2Sundaramurthy A
1
Department of Physiology, Shri Sathya Sai Medical College & RI, Ammapettai, Kancheepuram-603108, India
Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Shri Sathya Sai Medical College & RI Hospital.
2
Correspondence address: M.I. Glad Mohesh, Department of Physiology, Shri Sathya Sai Medical College & RI,
Ammapettai, Kancheepuram-603108, India. E-mail:[email protected]
DOI: 10.5455/jcer.201513
________________________________________________________________________________________________
ABSTRACT
Background: Cardiorespiratory fitness is important for a person to efficiently perform his day to day life activities.
Obesity influences this fitness leading to the development of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Fitness can be
improved through physical exercise which could be categorized into moderate or severe based on the maximum heart
rate. Maximum oxygen uptake (VO2 max) is yet another equivalent parameter in use to assess the severity of the exercise.
This study aims to study if there is any influence of moderate exercise on the VO 2 max in individuals with greater BMI.
Materials and Methods: Sixty four young adults of mean age (19.66 + 0.2years) underwent a 30 minutes normal walking
in order to perform a moderate exercise using a pedometer counting 3000 steps. Pre and post exercise variables like blood
pressure and heart rate was recorded using a semiautomatic digital sphygmomanometer(OMRON HEM
401,India).Maximum oxygen uptake (VO2 max) was calculated and the difference between the pre and post exercise
condition was derived. Paired ‘t’ test was done using SPSS 17.0 and the statistical significance value was set at p<0.05.
Results: Heart rate and SBP in the pre and post exercise condition differed significantly (p<0.003, p<0.01).Whereas the
change in DBP was not significant. A non-significant positive correlation (r=0.177, p=0.34) existed between the BMI
and the VO2 max in the individuals. Conclusion: Moderate exercise in the form of walking has definite exercise benefits
on obese individuals as it influences the VO2max.
Key words: Cardiorespiratory fitness, obesity, VO2 max
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INTRODUCTION
Non-communicable disease burden of every nation
in the World is on the rise. With technology taking
the lead role in all the jobs and manpower only to
sit and monitor the computers in action, the extent
of manual work done by a person at the jobsite
these days are seemingly less. Also the food habits,
poor exercise and unhygienic practices of people
around the world now has led to the metabolic
disorder, obesity. This was already declared by the
World Health organization as an emerging
pandemic across nations. Body mass index
calculated from one’s height (in meters) and weight
(in kg) gives his obesity status. As a preventive
measure across the globe, regular physical exercise
is the suggested treatment modality along with
controlled diet and medications. Although exercise
is prescribed for all individuals who are obese to
maintain
the
cardio-respiratory
fitness,
categorizing the severity of the exercise differs. In
some situations, maximum heart rate is used to
grade the severity of the exercise while in others
maximum oxygen uptake (VO2 max), another
equivalent parameter is in use. Although physical
exercise that is graded on VO2 max is suggested
for weight control, will VO2 max based criteria
holds good for Obese individuals is left unanswered.
Hence we in this study aim to know if there is any
influence of moderate exercise on the VO2 max in
obese individuals.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Institutional Ethics Committee approval was
obtained and a written informed consent document
was obtained from all the study participants.
Identified volunteers reported to the research lab,
Department of Physiology between 8 to 9 am after
an overnight abstinence from smoking, alcohol and
Journal of Clinical & Experimental ResearchJanuary-April 2015Volume 3Issue 1
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Glad Mohesh and Sundaramurthy: Effect of moderate exercise on VO2 max and blood pressure
any carbonated beverages. Sixty four obese young
adults who were not in any medications or under
any acute illness, and also not competitive athletes
[Table 1] were intervened with a 30 minutes normal
walking in order to undergo a moderate exercise
using a pedometer counting 3000 steps.[1] Pre and
post exercise variables like blood pressure and
heart rate was recorded using a semiautomatic
digital sphygmomanometer (Omron HEM 401).
Maximum oxygen uptake (VO2 max) was
calculated[2] and the difference between the pre and
post exercise condition was derived. Collected data
was stored in Microsoft Excel 2007 and later
analyzed. Paired‘t’ test was done using SPSS 17.0
with statistical significance set at p<0.05.
Figure 1: Correlation between BMI and VO2max in obese
individuals after a moderate exercise
Table 1: Anthropometric details of the
study participants
Age
(Years)
Height (cm)
Weight (kg)
BMI
Step counted
19.6+0.92
169.6+8.2
68.3+14.9
23.6+4.2
3251.2+303.2
RESULTS
Our study results showed similarity with the
observations made by other authors. Heart rate and
SBP in the pre and post exercise condition differed
significantly (p<0.003, p<0.01) [Table 2]. Change in
DBP was not significant. Also a non-significant
positive correlation (r=0.177, p=0.34) existed
between the BMI and the VO2 max in the individuals
[Figure 1]. Table 2 explains the pre and post
moderate exercise results on which there was a
statistically significant change on the heart rate,
systolic blood pressure and oxygen consumption.
Table 2: Change in the variables observed
before and after moderate exercise
Pre
Post
77.017+11.79
81.767+13.12
Heart rate
115.28+10.47
118.60+11.31
SBP
64.05+7.09
63.65+6.63
DBP
76.98+5.51
78.98+4.95
VO2 max
*statistical significance P<0.05
P
0.003*
0.015*
0.7283
0.001*
DISCUSSION
American College of Sports Medicine prescribes
exercise intensity for the healthy population using
% HR max and % VO2 max methods. Studies have
shown that same pattern method is not applicable
for subjects with motor disabilities, COPD, and in
elderly. In this study we analysed if the VO2 max
based moderate exercise is applicable for obese
persons. This study did ruled out noticeable
changes in VO2 max during moderate exercise
among individuals with increased BMI. Thirty
minutes walking as a moderate exercise showed its
acute effect immediately, but in the long run it could
bring permanent benefits. Good aerobic fitness is
needed for anyone to reduce the risk of
cardiovascular
diseases.[3]
Increased
cardiorespiratory fitness brings an increase in
insulin secretion, improved nervous system function
and even decreased heart rate.[4]Sympathetic
activity in obese is found to be higher than in
normal. Moderate exercise increased the heart rate
and the systolic blood pressure to a significant
extent. The observed significant increase in oxygen
usage in the post exercise period is noticeable with
the exercise being moderate type. It is similar to the
earlier observations with majority of it being
experienced with severe exercise. We believe
moderate exercise could be the best modality of
weight reduction in obese individuals such that it
could bring an encouraging effect on the performer
without bringing the other effects of exercise like
fatigue or boredom. Our results were similar to
other studies that were done with moderate
exercise as a modality for cardiorespiratory fitness
improvement programs.[5,6,7,8]The changes we saw
were the same and thereby we found that
irrespective of the obesity status of a person
moderate exercise does its job of elevating the
blood pressure and increased consumption of
oxygen. This would bring the benefits of exercise
like lowering of blood pressure, decreased body fat
and improved cardiorespiratory fitness.
CONLUSION
We conclude through this study that moderate
exercise influences VO2 max irrespective of the
obese status of a person, however high intensity
exercises are better than moderate exercise to
bring more benefits in a short period.
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Glad Mohesh and Sundaramurthy: Effect of moderate exercise on VO2 max and blood pressure
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Cite this article as: Glad Mohesh MI, Sundaramurthy A. Effect
of moderate exercise on VO2 max and blood pressure in
individuals with different body mass index. J Clin Exp Res
2015;3:177-179.
Source of Support: Nil, Conflicts of Interest: None declared
Journal of Clinical & Experimental ResearchJanuary-April 2015Volume 3Issue 1
179