Impact of Aerobic Physical Exercise on Cardiovascular Health of In-school Adolescents of Nepalgunj, Nepal

Download Article

DOI: 10.21522/TIJPH.2013.08.02.Art032

Authors : Manita Pyakurel, Nnodimele O. Atulomah, Archana Shrestha

Abstract:

Background: Physical activities and exercise play supportive role in preventing cardiovascular morbidity. Long-term exercise provides more health benefits. Contemporary society are plagued with increasing inactivity and obesity particularly among children and adolescents. Studies demonstrate benefits of moderate but consistent aerobic exercise on cardiovascular health, however roles of physical exercise on components of cardiovascular health CVH)-related parameters still remain unclear. This study investigated the effect of aerobic physical exercise on (CVH-related) parameters among in-school adolescents in Nepalgunj municipality, Banke, Nepal.

Methodology: This was an eight-week quasi-experimental design conducted by systematic random selection of consenting 8th and 9th graders assigned into intervention and control groups by odd and even number randomization, respectively. Measures of CVH-related parameters were anthropometry while demographic characteristics were collected using validated questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted, and results displayed as frequency, means and standard deviation with paired-sample t-test for test of significance at 5% level.

Results: At baseline, physical education and physical exercise groups showed no significant difference in most CVH-related parameters, except resting-Heart Rate that was significantly different (p<0.01). Impact of physical exercise on CVH-related parameters was significant for three CVH-related parameters of resting-HR (ES=0.56; p<0.001), BMI (ES=0.474; p<0.05), DBP (ES=0.355; p<0.05), but physical education only impacted on CVH-related parameters of resting-HR (ES=0.64; p<0.001).

Conclusion: Aerobic physical exercise implemented among in-school adolescents produced marginal but important changes in CVH-related parameters among in-school adolescents in the study despite the short duration of the intervention. The study recommends that physical exercise should be made part of school curriculum activities.

References:

[1].   Andersen RE, Crespo CJ, Bartlett SJ, Cheskin LJ, Pratt M: Relationship of physical activity and Television watching with body weight and level of fatness among children: results from the Third.

[2].   National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. JAMA 1998, 279:938-942.

[3].   Lukas Zahner, Jardena J Puder, Ralf Roth, Marco Schmid, Regula Guldimann, Uwe Pühse, et al. (2006) A school-based physical activity program to improve health and fitness in children aged 6–13 years ("Kinder-Sportstudie KISS"): study design of a randomized controlled trial BMC Public Health 2006, 6:147 doi:10.1186/1471-2458-6-147.

[4].      Pablo Tercedor, Emilio Villa-González, Manuel Ávila-García, Carolina Díaz-Piedra, Alejandro Martínez-Baena, Alberto Soriano-Maldonado, Isaac José Pérez-López, et al., (2017) A school-based physical activity promotion intervention in children: rationale and study protocol for the PREVIENE Project. BMC Public Health (2017) 17:748. DOI 10.1186/s12889-017-4788-4.

[5].      Lan, C., et al., Tai chi chuan exercise for patients with cardiovascular disease. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Volume 2013, Article ID 983208, 9 pages

http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/983208.

[6].      Glanz, K., Rimer, B. K and Lewis, F. M. 2008. Health Behaviour and Health Education: theory, research and practice.3rd edition CA. Jossey-bass

[7].      Ross A. Chesham, Josephine N. Booth, Emma L. Sweeney, Gemma C. Ryde, Trish Gorely, Naomi E. Brooks, and Colin N. Moran (2018) The Daily Mile makes primary school children more active, less sedentary and improves their fitness and body composition: a quasi-experimental pilot study. BMC Medicine. 16:64 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-018-1049-z.

[8].      Mora, S., et al., Physical activity and reduced risk of cardiovascular events: potential mediating mechanisms. Circulation, 2007. 116(19): p. 2110.

[9].      Cesa, C.C., et al., Physical activity and cardiovascular risk factors in children: meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Preventive medicine, 2014. 69: p. 54-62.

[10].  Donath, L., et al., Absolute and relative reliability of acute effects of aerobic exercise on executive function in seniors. BMC geriatrics, 2017. 17(1): p. 247.


[11].  Guiney, H. and L. Machado, Benefits of regular aerobic exercise for executive functioning in healthy populations. Psychonomic bulletin & review, 2013. 20(1): p. 73-86.

[12].  Smith, P.J., et al., Aerobic exercise and neurocognitive performance: a meta-analytic review of randomized controlled trials. Psychosomatic medicine, 2010. 72(3): p. 239.

[13].  Brown, A.D., et al., Effects of cardiorespiratory fitness and cerebral blood flow on cognitive outcomes in older women. Neurobiology of Aging, 2010. 31(12): p. 2047-2057.

[14].  Endes K, Köchli S, Zahner L and Hanssen H (2019) Exercise and Arterial Modulation in Children: The EXAMIN YOUTH Study. Front. Physiol. 10:43. doi:10.3389/fphys.2019.00043.

[15].  Ashmita Karki, Archana Shrestha, Narayan Subed (2019). Prevalence and associated factors of childhood overweight/obesity among primary school children in urban Nepal. BMC Public Health, 19:1055 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-7406-9.

[16].  Hayman, L.L., et al., Cardiovascular Health Promotion in the Schools. Circulation, 2004. 110(15): p. 2266-2275.

[17].  Hogstrom, G., A. Nordstrom, and P. Nordstrom, High aerobic fitness in late adolescence is associated with a reduced risk of myocardial infarction later in life: a nationwide cohort study in men. Eur Heart J, 2014. 35(44): p. 3133-40.

[18].  Coimbra, S., et al., Physical exercise intervention at school improved hepcidin, inflammation, and iron metabolism in overweight and obese children and adolescents. Pediatric research, 2017. 82(5): p. 781-788.

[19].  Kelley, G.A., K.S. Kelley, and R.R. Pate, Exercise and BMI z-score in Overweight and Obese Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials. J Evid Based Med, 2017. 10(2): p. 108-128.

[20].  Wen, H. and L. Wang, Reducing effect of aerobic exercise on blood pressure of essential hypertensive patients: A meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore), 2017. 96(11): p. e6150.

[21].  Cornelissen, V.A., et al., Effects of aerobic training intensity on resting, exercise and post-exercise blood pressure, heart rate and heart-rate variability. J Hum Hypertens, 2010. 24(3): p. 175-82.

[22].  Lemes, I.R., et al., Aerobic training reduces blood pressure and waist circumference and increases HDL-c in metabolic syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Am Soc Hypertens, 2018. 12(8): p. 580-588.

[23].  Lee, K., et al., Effect of Aerobic and Resistance Exercise Intervention on Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Women With Early-Stage Breast Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Oncol, 2019. 5(5): p. 710-714.