Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Article
  • Published:

Higher exercise frequency associated with lower blood pressure in Hong Kong adolescents: a population-based study

Journal of Human Hypertension volume 24, pages 646–651 (2010)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the association between blood pressure and the frequency of structured physical training activity in Chinese adolescents. A total of 9558 students aged 11–18 years underwent anthropometric and blood pressure measurements in a cross-sectional growth study. Structured physical training activity was assessed by two simple self-administered questions and parents were asked to complete a questionnaire providing demographic information. Ninety per cent of eligible students participated in the study, of which 94% provided data on physical training frequency for final analysis. Of the boys, 22.6% and of the girls, 14.5% were physically active with extracurricular school exercise at least twice a week. Over half of the students did not regularly exercise except during physical education classes at school. Blood pressure had a positive correlation with body mass index (BMI). Both systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure were substantially decreased with increased training frequency (P<0.05). Logistic regression adjusting for age, family history of hypertension, BMI and sleep duration showed that exercising two or more times a week had a negative relation with hypertension (odds ratio: 0.63, 95%CI 0.47–0.85). In conclusion, structured physical training activity of two or more times a week has a beneficial effect on blood pressure in Hong Kong children aged 11–18 years.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Berenson GS, Srinivasan SR, Bao W, Newman WP, Tracy RE, Wattigney WA . Association between multiple cardiovascular risk factors and atherosclerosis in children and young adults. The Bogalusa Heart Study. N Engl J Med 1998; 338: 1650–1656.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Bouziotas C, Koutedakis Y, Nevill A, Ageli E, Tsigilis N, Nikolaou A et al. Greek adolescents, fitness, fatness, fat intake, activity, and coronary heart disease risk. Arch Dis Childhood 2004; 89: 41–44.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Lauer RM, Clarke WR . Childhood risk factors for high adult blood pressure: the Muscatine Study. Pediatrics 1989; 84: 633–641.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Luma GB, Spiotta RT . Hypertension in children and adolescents. Am Fam Physician 2006; 73: 1558–1568.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. MacMahon S, Peto R, Cutler J, Collins R, Sorlie P, Neaton J et al. Blood pressure, stroke, and coronary heart disease. Part 1, Prolonged differences in blood pressure: prospective observational studies corrected for the regression dilution bias. Lancet 1990; 335: 765–774.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Whelton SP, Chin A, Xin X, He J . Effect of aerobic exercise on blood pressure: a meta-analysis of randomized, controlled trials. Ann Intern Med 2002; 136: 493–503.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Nielsen GA, Andersen LB . The association between high blood pressure, physical fitness, and body mass index in adolescents. Prev Med 2003; 36: 229–234.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Andersen LB . Blood pressure, physical fitness and physical activity in 17-year-old Danish adolescents. J Int Med 1994; 236: 323–329.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Pescatello LS, Franklin BA, Fagard R, Farquhar WB, Kelley GA, Ray CA et al. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Exercise and hypertension. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2004; 36: 533–553.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Harman A, Stensel D . Physical Activity and Health: The Evidence Explained. Routledge: London, UK, 2003.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Strong WB, Malina RM, Blimkie CJ, Daniels SR, Dishman RK, Gutin B et al. Evidence based physical activity for school-age youth. J Pediatrics 2005; 146: 732–737.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Boreham C, Twisk J, van MW, Savage M, Strain J, Cran G . Relationships between the development of biological risk factors for coronary heart disease and lifestyle parameters during adolescence: The Northern Ireland Young Hearts Project. Public Health 1999; 113: 7–12.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Marti B, Vartiainen E . Relation between leisure time exercise and cardiovascular risk factors among 15-year-olds in eastern Finland. J Epidemiol Community Health 1989; 43: 228–233.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Klesges RC, Haddock CK, Eck LH . A multimethod approach to the measurement of childhood physical activity and its relationship to blood pressure and body weight. J Pediatrics 1990; 116: 888–893.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Kelley GA, Kelley KS, Tran ZV . The effects of exercise on resting blood pressure in children and adolescents: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Prev Cardiol 2003; 6: 8–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Dwyer T, Coonan WE, Leitch DR, Hetzel BS, Baghurst RA . An investigation of the effects of daily physical activity on the health of primary school students in South Australia. Int J Epidemiol 1983; 12: 308–313.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Hansen HS, Froberg K, Hyldebrandt N, Nielsen JR . A controlled study of eight months of physical training and reduction of blood pressure in children: the Odense schoolchild study. BMJ 1991; 303: 682–685.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Andersen LB, Harro M, Sardinha LB, Froberg K, Ekelund U, Brage S et al. Physical activity and clustered cardiovascular risk in children: a cross-sectional study (The European Youth Heart Study). Lancet 2006; 368: 299–304.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. So HK, Nelson EAS, Li AM, Wong EMC, Lau JTF, Guldan GS et al. Secular changes in height, weight and body mass index in Hong Kong Children. BMC Public Health 2008; 8: 320.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. National High Blood Pressure Education Program. Update on the 1987 Task Force Report on High Blood Pressure in Children and Adolescents: a working group report from the National High Blood Pressure Education Program. National High Blood Pressure Education Program Working Group on Hypertension Control in Children and Adolescents. Pediatrics 1996; 98: 649–658.

  21. Sallis JF, Patrick K . Physical activity guidelines for adolescents: consensus statement. Pediatr Exer Sci 1994; 6: 302–314.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Hui S . Health and physical activity in Hong Kong. Hong Kong Sports Development Board. SDB Research Report-No.4 2001.

  23. Sung RY, Choi KC, So HK, Nelson EA, Li AM, Kwok CW et al. Oscillometrically measured blood pressure in Hong Kong Chinese children and associations with anthropometric parameters. J Hypertens 2008; 26: 678–684.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Leary SD, Ness AR, Smith GD, Mattocks C, Deere K, Blair SN et al. Physical activity and blood pressure in childhood: findings from a population-based study. Hypertension 2008; 51: 92–98.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Trost SG . Objective measurement of physical activity in youth: current issues, future directions. Exerc Sport Sci Rev 2001; 29: 32–36.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. de Vries SI, Bakker I, Hopman-Rock M, Hirasing RA, van Mechelen W . Clinimetric review of motion sensors in children and adolescents. J Clin Epidemiol 2006; 59: 670–680.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Crocker PR, Bailey DA, Faulkner RA, Kowalski KC, McGrath R . Measuring general levels of physical activity: preliminary evidence for the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children. Med Sci Sports Exer 1997; 29: 1344–1349.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Barker DJ, Gluckman PD, Godfrey KM, Harding JE, Owens JA, Robinson JS . Fetal nutrition and cardiovascular disease in adult life. Lancet 1993; 341: 938–941.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Falkner B, Hulman S, Kushner H . Effect of birth weight on blood pressure and body size in early adolescence. Hypertension 2004; 43: 203–207.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Fu FH, Hao X . Physical development and lifestyle of Hong Kong secondary school students. Prev Med 2002; 35: 499–505.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Chobanian AV . Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. Hypertension 2003; 42: 1206–1252.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Washburn RA, Adams LL, Haile GT . Physical activity assessment for epidemiologic research: the utility of two simplified approaches. Prev Med 1987; 16: 636–646.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank the school principals, teachers, parents and students who participated in the study. This research project received financial support from Departmental funds and the Hong Kong Paediatric Society. Contributors: HK coordinated the study, assisted in the supervision of data collection and drafted the article. EAS, RYT and AM prepared the proposal and supervised the study. KC took active part in the statistical work. J undertook recruitment and clinical assessments. PC and TF made substantial contributions to the conception of the study and revising the paper. All authors contributed to the paper’s submitted form and have read and approved the final paper.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Paediatrics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, P.R. China

    H K So, R Y T Sung, A M Li, E A S Nelson, J Yin, P C Ng & T F Fok

  2. Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, P.R. China

    K C Choi

Authors
  1. H K So
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R Y T Sung
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A M Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. K C Choi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. E A S Nelson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. J Yin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. P C Ng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. T F Fok
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to R Y T Sung.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

So, H., Sung, R., Li, A. et al. Higher exercise frequency associated with lower blood pressure in Hong Kong adolescents: a population-based study. J Hum Hypertens 24, 646–651 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/jhh.2009.117

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/jhh.2009.117

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links