Extended Daily Exercise is the Key to Blood Pressure and BMI Reductions in High School Students

Abstract

ObjectiveDemonstrate if combining physical education (PE) and health classes into an extended daily single class model will result in decreases in blood pressure and BMI in overweight and obese students.MethodsAt a high school in Portland, OR, HealthCorps and school staff developed and implemented the Fit2Live and Learn (F2LL) program, an integrative approach to health and PE. This was an adjunct to the wellness program run by HealthCorps in the school. The prior PE program was changed from a class that met every other day to a class that met daily for 90 minutes, covering two class periods. Students received credits for both Health and Physical Education courses. The program combined its traditional Health and PE classes into an experiential integrative approach to health concepts. The F2LL program was a school‐year long practice of optimal exercise, healthy eating and mental strength habits for students. We measured BMI, blood pressure, heart rate and percent body fat as measured by bioelectric impedance analysis.ResultsIn a group of 43 students, systolic blood pressure was reduced from 121 to 111 mm Hg (p<0.05) over the course of four visits (eight months). In a subset of those students who were either overweight or obese (n=14), systolic BP decreased from 128 to 117 mm Hg (p<0.05). Diastolic blood pressure and heart rate did not change significantly in any group. BMI was reduced in overweight and obese freshman (BMI>25) from 33.1 to 32.2 kg/m2 and in obese freshman (BMI>30) 37.8 to 37.2 kg/m2. There was a concomitant decrease in percent body fat by 1.4%.ConclusionThe F2LL program combined with HealthCorps' program emphasizing nutrition, mental resilience and physical activity, resulted in significant decreases in blood pressure and BMI in the freshman PE class at one Portland public high school.