Abstract

Background: Although within the physiological range, overweight and obese adolescents, who are otherwise normal, have blood pressures at the higher side, whereas underweight adolescents have lower blood pressures when compared with the normal weight individuals. Aims and Objectives: (1) To assess the functional status of the cardiovascular system by measuring the heart rate (HR) and blood pressure in adolescents with different body mass indices (BMI) at rest. (2) To illustrate the response of the cardiovascular system to acute isotonic exercise by recording the HR and blood pressure in normal weight, underweight, and overweight adolescents.
Materials and Methods: A total of 44 adolescents, aged between 17 and 19 years with different BMI, are the study group. Subjects are categorized into underweight, normal weight, and overweight/obese group based on their BMI. HR and blood pressure were recorded before and immediately after the acute bicycle ergometer exercise test, with three finger test and sphygmomanometer, respectively.
Results: Increase in HR, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and pulse pressure (PP) in diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were observed immediately after the exercise (P = 0.000) among all the subjects. Before the exercise, SBP, DBP, and mean arterial blood pressure (P = 0.002, 0.008, and 0.003) and after the exercise, SBP and PP (P = 0.007 and 0.037) are significant among underweight, normal weight, and overweight subjects. Conclusion: Overweight/obese adolescents are having higher blood pressure at rest. SBP and PP were increased more in overweight/obese adolescents after the exercise than the normal weight subjects.