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Abstract

ABSTRACT Introduction: Overweight and obesity have increased their prevalence worldwide; these factors relate to different pathologies, among them, alteration in cardiac autonomic function with a possible development of cardiovascular disease. Objective: To describe and compare the relation between normal anthropometric indices to parameters of heart rate variability. Materials and methods: An ex post-facto correlational study was carried out. It was analyzed data from a sample of 30 young men between 18 and 22 years old, medical students, who collaborated voluntarily, whom body mass index and waist-hip ratio was determined, and also, blood pressure and an electrocardiogram was performed for each one. For the analysis of electrocardiogram heart rate variability, the NN intervals obtained were converted into geometric figures and, from them, we calculated the triangular index, triangular interpolation of NN intervals, SD1 and SD2 indices of Poincare’s diagram, standard deviation of every NN interval, the square root of the average of the addition of squares of differences between NN intervals, frequency domain as low frequency bands, high frequency bands and relation LF/HF. Results: Subjects had an average age of 19.5±0.9 years old; weight of 66.3±7.6 Kg, body mass index of 22±2.3 Kg/m2 and waist-hip ratio of 0.86±0.1.We found a statistically significant inverse relation between the triangular interpolation of NN intervals and waist-hip ratio (r= -0.396, p<0.05). Conclusion: Changes in anthropometric indices affect heart modulation, being central obesity measured by waist- hip ratio, a better predictor of heart nervous control and sympathovagal balance. MED UIS. 2015;28(3):301-8. Keywords: Heart Function Tests. Obesity. Anthropometry. Heart Rate. Overweight.