Effect of Different Doses of Supervised Aerobic Exercise on Heart Rate Recovery in Inactive Adults Who Are Overweight or Obese: Results from E-MECHANIC

Overview

Journal Eur J Appl Physiol

Specialty Physiology

Date 2019 Aug 2

PMID 31367909

Citations 2

Authors

Christoph Hochsmann

James L Dorling

John W Apolzan

Neil M Johannsen

Daniel S Hsia

Timothy S Church

Corby K Martin

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Purpose: Heart rate recovery (HRR) after exercise is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease and mortality. Regular aerobic exercise can improve HRR, yet little is known regarding the dose necessary to promote increases. The aim was to assess the impact of different doses of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise on HRR in individuals with overweight/obesity.

Methods: Data from 137 sedentary adults with overweight/obesity from E-MECHANIC were analyzed. Participants were randomized to either a moderate-dose exercise group (8 kcal/kg body weight/week; KKW), a high-dose exercise group (20 KKW), or a non-exercise control group. HRR was defined as the difference between peak heart rate (HR) during a graded exercise test and the HR after exactly 1 min of active recovery at 1.5 mph and level grade.

Results: Change in HRR did not differ significantly by exercise group; therefore, the data from both exercise groups were combined. The combined exercise group showed an improvement in HRR of 2.7 bpm (95% CI 0.1, 5.4; p = 0.04) compared to the control group. Those participants who lost more weight during the intervention (non-compensators) increased HRR by 6.2 bpm (95% CI 2.8, 9.5; p < 0.01) compared to those who lost less weight (compensators). Multiple linear regression models indicated that improvements in HRR are independently associated with increases in VO (β = 0.4; 95% CI 0.1, 0.7; p = 0.04) but also influenced by concomitant weight loss (β = 0.6; 95% CI 0.2, 1.1; p = 0.01).

Conclusion: Exercise-induced improvements in 1-min HRR are likely due to increases in cardiorespiratory fitness as well as concomitant weight loss.

Citing Articles

Clinical outcomes and anti-inflammatory mechanisms predict maximum heart rate improvement after physical activity training in individuals with psychiatric disorders and comorbid obesity.

Soldevila-Matias P, Sanchez-Orti J, Correa-Ghisays P, Balanza-Martinez V, Selva-Vera G, Sanchis-Sanchis R PLoS One. 2025; 20(1):e0313759.

PMID: 39752432 PMC: 11698373. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0313759.

Heart rate recovery as an assessment of cardiorespiratory fitness in young adults.

Thomas J, Black W, Kern P, Pendergast J, Clasey J J Clin Exerc Physiol. 2022; 11(2):44-53.

PMID: 36466304 PMC: 9718361. DOI: 10.31189/2165-6193-11.2.44.

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