Citation

Bueno HM, Sartori M, Macedo HR, Moraes-Silva IC, Aletti F, Irigoyen MC, De Angelis K. J. Sports Med. Phys. Fitness 2015; 57(3): 299-304.

Affiliation

Human Movement Laboratory, Sao Judas Tadeu University, Sao Paulo, Brazil, São Paulo, SP - prof.kangelis@uninove.br.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Edizioni Minerva Medica)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

26684436

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Physical activity has been considered an effective method to treat and prevent cardiovascular and metabolic disease. An important mechanism benefited by exercise training is the cardiovascular autonomic control, often impaired in cardiometabolic disease. Cycling used as a daily means of transport can be considered an interesting alternative to regular physical exercise practice. Therefore, this study intent to compare metabolic, hemodynamic and cardiovascular autonomic profiles of young adult men who were used to ride bicycles for transport (CT) with those considered insufficiently actives (IA).

METHODS: Body composition, blood pressure, glucose, total cholesterol and triglycerides were evaluated at rest. Heart rate variability was analysed in time and frequence domains.

RESULTS: No differences were observed for body composition, blood pressure, glycemia nor lipids between groups. CT group presented resting bradycardia. Heart rate variability was increased in cyclists, as well as the parameters of parasympathetic modulation. Sympathetic modulation was reduced in CT group when compared to IA group. Additionally, positive correlations were observed between resting heart rate and RMSSD and heart rate variability, while heart rate variability was correlated with sympathovagal balance.

CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrated that bicycling regularly used as a means of transport is able to improve cardiovascular autonomic modulation, thus reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Language: en