Autonomic cardiac function, body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness changes in adolescents after a multidisciplinary obesity treatment program: a feasibility study

Abstract

This feasibility study aimed to analyze the effects of a multidisciplinary (e.g., psychological, nutritional and water-based exercise interventions) obesity treatment program on resting heart rate variability (rHRV) indices according to the degree of excess body mass (overweight vs obesity) in adolescents. Additionally, we tested the association between changes in rHRV indices with changes in body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness. Twenty-five adolescents completed the study, 11 from the overweight group (OWG) and 14 from the obese group (OBG) classified according to body mass index. Anthropometric measures, autonomic cardiac function (measured by rate-to-rate interval analyses), lean mass and body fat, and cardiorespiratory fitness were assessed prior to and after the 16-week intervention period. Both groups increased their parasympathetic indices (e.g., standard deviation 1) [OWG: Δ = 8.5 (1.7–15.3) ms; magnitude of change: “likely”; OBG: Δ = 11.4 (4.3–18.4) ms; “very likely”] and cardiorespiratory fitness [OWG: Δ = 2.0 (1.1–2.8) mL/kg/min; “likely”; OBG: Δ = 2.4 (1.5–3.3) mL/kg/min; “Almost certain”] with a slightly greater magnitude of change for the OBG. The OWG showed greater changes in body composition [e.g., body fat: Δ = −3.2 (–4.6 to −1.8) kg “Very likely”] when compared to the OBG [Δ = −2.8 (−4.4 to −1.3) kg “Possible”]. Inverse and large correlations were noted for changes in body fat markers (%) and changes in parasympathetic indices of rHRV (%) (i.e., rMSSD and SD1). These results provide evidence that a multidisciplinary program improves parasympathetic indices, body composition, and cardiorespiratory fitness independent of the degree of excess body mass.