Influence of Acute Physical Activity on Stress Reactivity in Obese and Normal Weight Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Obes Facts. 2019;12(1):115-130. doi: 10.1159/000494294. Epub 2019 Mar 7.

Abstract

Objective: Physical activity (PA) may influence acute stress reactivity in children differently depending on their weight. This randomized controlled trial investigated the impact of acute PA and of BMI status (overweight/obese (OB/OW) and normal weight (NW) on stress reactivity.

Method: 50 prepubertal children (24 OW/OB and 26 NW) were randomly assigned to the PA or sedentary arm (SED) for 30 min followed by a stress task. Salivary cortisol, blood pressure (BP), and heart rate (HR) were measured.

Results: An interaction effect between the randomization arms and weight status on salivary cortisol was found after the stress task (p = 0.04). Cortisol increased in the SED, but not in the PA arm (p = 0.004 for differences in time course) of NW children. Time course did not differ between both arms in OW/OB children (p = 0.7). OW/OB SED children had a flat cortisol course, and levels were reduced compared to the NW SED or the OW/OB PA children (p ≤ 0.03). Systolic BP increased only in the SED arm (p = 0.01). HR was higher in the PA than in the SED arm during stress (p < 0.001) and showed different time courses (p = 0.006).

Conclusion: PA impacted on acute stress reactivity and influenced stress reactivity differently in NW and OW/OB children.

Keywords: Blood pressure; Childhood obesity; Cortisol; Physical activity; Stress.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Body Mass Index
  • Body Weight
  • Child
  • Exercise / physiology*
  • Exercise Therapy
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hydrocortisone / analysis
  • Hydrocortisone / metabolism*
  • Ideal Body Weight / physiology*
  • Male
  • Overweight / complications
  • Overweight / metabolism*
  • Overweight / physiopathology
  • Overweight / psychology
  • Pediatric Obesity / complications
  • Pediatric Obesity / metabolism*
  • Pediatric Obesity / physiopathology
  • Pediatric Obesity / psychology
  • Saliva / chemistry
  • Saliva / metabolism
  • Stress, Psychological / complications
  • Stress, Psychological / metabolism*
  • Stress, Psychological / physiopathology
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Hydrocortisone