Download PDF
Int J Sports Med 2006; 27(9): 697-701
DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-872929
Physiology & Biochemistry

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Relationship Between Very High Physical Activity Energy Expenditure, Heart Rate Variability and Self-Estimate of Health Status in Middle-Aged Individuals

M. Buchheit1 , C. Simon1 , A. Charloux1 , S. Doutreleau1 , F. Piquard1 , G. Brandenberger1
  • 1Laboratoire des Régulations Physiologiques et des Rythmes Biologiques chez l'Homme, Strasbourg Cedex, Strasbourg, France
Further Information

Publication History

Accepted after revision: September 12, 2005

Publication Date:
06 December 2005 (online)

Also available at
    Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

In middle-aged persons, moderate physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) has been shown to be associated with increased vagal-related heart rate variability (HRV) indexes and better health status. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a very high PAEE has greater effect on vagal-related HRV indexes and self-estimates of well-being in middle-aged subjects having distinct long-term physical activity profiles. Forty-four subjects were divided into three groups on the basis of the sport score of the Modified Baecke Questionnaire for Older Adults: sedentary (SED, n = 15), moderately-trained (MT, n = 16), and highly-trained subjects (HT, n = 13). PAEE was estimated by triaxial accelerometry during one week. Time and frequency domain HRV indexes were determined during quiet periods in the morning on 5-min R‐R interval segments under controlled breathing. Quality of life was evaluated using the SF-36 health survey questionnaire. PAEE was significantly different for each group (374.5 ± 13.8, 616.8 ± 22.4, and 1086.6 ± 43.2 kcal · day-1 for SED, MT, and HT, respectively, p < 0.001). MT presented significantly higher vagal-related HRV indexes than SED and HT (p < 0.05). None of the HRV indexes was significantly greater in HT than in SED. MT and HT had similar health status scores, which were significantly higher than for SED. These results indicate that in middle-aged subjects, habitual moderate PAEE is associated with greater vagal tone and self-estimates of well-being compared to low PAEE. In contrast, very high PAEE is associated with similar vagal-related indexes as low PAEE, despite better overall health status.

Key words

Parasympathetic control of the heart - physical activity - exercise - aging

References

  • 1 American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand . Exercise and physical activity for older adults.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1998;  30 992-1008
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 2 Aubert A, Seps B, Beckers F. Heart rate variability in athletes.  Sports Med. 2003;  33 889-919
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 3 Billman G E. Aerobic exercise conditioning: a nonpharmacological antiarrhythmic intervention.  J Appl Physiol. 2002;  92 446-454
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 4 Booth M. Assessment of physical activity: an international perspective.  Res Q Exerc Sport. 2000;  71 114-120
    Google Scholar
  • 5 Brazier J E, Harper R, Jones N M, O'Cathain A, Thomas K J, Usherwood T, Westlake L. Validating the SF‐36 health survey questionnaire: new outcome measure for primary care.  BMJ. 1992;  305 160-164
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 6 Buch A N, Coote J H, Townend J N. Mortality, cardiac vagal control and physical training - what's the link?.  Exp Physiol. 2002;  87 423-435
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 7 Buchheit M, Simon C, Piquard F, Ehrhart J, Brandenberger G. Effects of increased training load on vagal-related indexes of heart rate variability: a novel sleep approach.  Am J Physiol. 2004;  287 2813-2818
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 8 Buchheit M, Simon C, Viola A U, Doutreleau S, Piquard F, Brandenberger G. Heart rate variability in sportive elderly: relationship with daily physical activity.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2004;  36 601-605
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 9 Christou D D, Jones P P, Pimentel A E, Seals D R. Increased abdominal-to-peripheral fat distribution contributes to altered autonomic-circulatory control with human aging.  Am J Physiol. 2004;  287 1530-1537
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 10 Eckberg D L. Sympathovagal balance: a critical appraisal.  Circulation. 1997;  96 3224-3232
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 11 Goldberger J J, Ahmed M W, Parker M A, Kadish A H. Dissociation of heart rate variability from parasympathetic tone.  Am J Physiol. 1994;  266 2152-2157
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 12 Houle M S, Billman G E. Low-frequency component of the heart rate variability spectrum: a poor marker of sympathetic activity.  Am J Physiol. 1999;  276 215-223
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 13 Iellamo F, Legramante J M, Pigozzi F, Spataro A, Norbiato G, Lucini D, Pagani M. Conversion from vagal to sympathetic predominance with strenuous training in high-performance world class athletes.  Circulation. 2002;  105 2719-2724
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 14 Iwasaki K, Zhang R, Zuckerman J H, Levine B D. Dose-response relationship of the cardiovascular adaptation to endurance training in healthy adults: how much training for what benefit?.  J Appl Physiol. 2003;  95 1575-1583
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 15 Jensen-Urstad K, Storck N, Bouvier F, Ericson M, Lindblad L E, Jensen-Urstad M. Heart rate variability in healthy subjects is related to age and gender.  Acta Physiol Scand. 1997;  160 235-241
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 16 Kiviniemi A M, Hautala A J, Seppanen T, Makikallio T H, Huikuri H V, Tulppo M P. Saturation of high-frequency oscillations of R‐R intervals in healthy subjects and patients after acute myocardial infarction during ambulatory conditions.  Am J Physiol. 2004;  287 1921-1927
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 17 Lee I M, Paffenbarger R S. Physical activity and stroke incidence: the Harvard Alumni Health Study.  Stroke. 1998;  29 2049-2054
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 18 Malik M, Camm A J, Amaral L A, Goldberger A L, Ivanov P, Stanley H E, Goldberger J J, Challapalli S, Tung R, Parker M A, Kadish A H, Ahmed M W. Components of heart rate variability - what they really mean and what we really measure.  Am J Cardiol. 1993;  72 821-822
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 19 Malliani A. The pattern of sympathovagal balance explored in the frequency domain.  News Physiol Sci. 1999;  14 111-117
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 20 Oida E, Kannagi T, Moritani T, Yamori Y. Aging alteration of cardiac vagosympathetic balance assessed through the tone-entropy analysis.  J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 1999;  54 219-224
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 21 Pichot V, Roche F, Gaspoz J M, Enjolras F, Antoniadis A, Minini P, Costes F, Busso T, Lacour J R, Barthelemy J C. Relation between heart rate variability and training load in middle-distance runners.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2000;  32 1729-1736
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 22 Ramaekers D, Ector H, Aubert A E. The influence of age and gender on heart rate variability (HRV).  J Am Coll Cardiol. 1999;  33 900-902
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 23 Reland S, Ville N S, Wong S, Senhadji L, Carre F. Does the level of physical activity alter heart rate variability in healthy older women?.  Clin Sci. 2004;  23 29-35
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 24 Sandercock G R, Bromley P D, Brodie D A. Effects of exercise on heart rate variability: inferences from meta-analysis.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2005;  37 433-439
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 25 Stein P K, Ehsani A A, Domitrovich P P, Kleiger R E, Rottman J N. Effect of exercise training on heart rate variability in healthy older adults.  Am Heart J. 1999;  138 567-576
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 26 Task Force . Heart rate variability: standards of measurement, physiological interpretation and clinical use. Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology and the North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology.  Circulation. 1996;  93 1043-1065
    Google Scholar
  • 27 Tsuji H, Venditti F J, Manders E S, Evans J C, Larson M G, Feldman C L, Levy D. Reduced heart rate variability and mortality risk in an elderly cohort. The Framingham Heart Study.  Circulation. 1994;  90 878-883
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 28 Voorrips L E, Ravelli A C, Dongelmans P C, Deurenberg P, Van Staveren W A. A physical activity questionnaire for the elderly.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1991;  23 974-979
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 29 Yataco A R, Fleisher L A, Katzel L I. Heart rate variability and cardiovascular fitness in senior athletes.  Am J Cardiol. 1997;  80 1389-1391
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 30 Yeragani V K, Sobolewski E, Kay J, Jampala V C, Igel G. Effect of age on long-term heart rate variability.  Cardiovasc Res. 1997;  35 35-42
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar

M. Buchheit

Laboratoire des Régulations Physiologiques et des Rythmes Biologiques chez l'Homme, Faculté de Médecine

4 rue Kirschleger

67085 Strasbourg Cedex

France

Phone: + 33390243432

Fax: + 33 390 24 34 44

Email: Martin.Buchheit@physio-ulp.u-strasbg.fr

      >