Blood pressure response to physical exertion in adolescents: Influence of overweight and obesity

Background: The acute blood pressure response to physical exertion has been used as an indicator of the risk of developing hypertension. The factors associated with this response need to be clarified for timely intervention in preventing hypertensive disease. Objective: To describe the response of cardiovascular variables to acute physical exertion in overweight adolescents using cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Methods: The sample consisted of 104 adolescents (56 boys and 48 girls), divided into two groups: the obese/overweight group (OOG) and the eutrophic group (EG). The following variables were measured: anthropometric (weight, height, and BMI), body composition (skin fold thickness), as well as hemodynamic variables such as systolic arterial pressure (SAP), diastolic arterial pressure (DAP), and heart rate (HR), at rest and at maximal physical exertion during the cardiopulmonary test. Results: In the male group, the greatest values of systolic arterial pressure at rest were recorded in the OOG as compared to the EG (113 +/- 13 vs 106 +/- 8 mmHg; p = 0.009), pre-exertion SAP (120 +/- 14 vs 109 +/- 10 mmHg; p = 0.003), and SAP during maximal exertion conditions (1156 +/- 20 vs 146 +/- 14 mmHg; p = 0.03). In the female group, only pre-exertion SAP was higher in the overweight group as compared to the eutrophic girls (114 +/- 11 vs 106 +/- 10 mmHg; p = 0.009). Conclusion: The response of arterial blood pressure during physical exercise was most exacerbated in obese adolescents as compared to eutrophic teens, suggesting greater reactivity to physical exertion.