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More moderate-intensity physical activity and less prolonged sedentary time are associated with better very short-term systolic blood pressure variability in healthy adults

Journal of Human Hypertension volume 37, pages 1015–1020 (2023)Cite this article

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Abstract

Whole-day movement guidelines for improving health, recommend that adults engage in at least 150 min week−1 of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic physical activity and limit their sedentary time. In young adults, higher systolic blood pressure variability (BPV) is a precursor for the development of hypertension. The impact of habitual activity that comprises (inter)national guidelines on BPV is unclear. We tested the hypothesis that less habitual physical activity and greater sedentary time would be associated with larger BPV. Ninety-two normotensive participants [age: 19–38 years, body mass index (BMI): 23.6 ± 3.3 kg/m2, 44♀] wore an activPAL monitor on their thigh for 7.0 ± 0.3 days. Ten minutes of supine systolic arterial pressure was measured via finger photoplethysmography (115 ± 11 mmHg). Beat-by-beat systolic BPV was measured using the average real variability index (1.1 ± 0.6 mmHg). Relationships between habitual activity outcomes and BPV were assessed via multiple regressions adjusted for age, sex, and BMI. Moderate-intensity physical activity (average: 36 ± 19 min day−1; β = −0.010, p = 0.02) and time spent in sedentary bouts >1-h (245 ± 134 min day−1; β = 0.002, p < 0.001), but not light-intensity activity, vigorous-intensity activity, standing time, sedentary breaks, or time spent in sedentary bouts <1-h (all, p > 0.10) were predictors of systolic BPV. Higher moderate physical activity and lower prolonged sedentary time were associated with attenuated systolic BPV responses in young adults. These findings highlight the cardiovascular benefits of habitual activity among younger adults and suggest that simple strategies such as reducing long periods of uninterrupted sitting and increasing moderate-intensity physical activity may be efficacious for reducing the risk of developing or delaying the onset of hypertension.

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Fig. 1: Relationship between systolic blood pressure variability (BPV) and habitual activities.

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The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Funding

Canadian Foundation for Innovation: Leader’s Opportunity Fund (DSK), Faculty of Health Research Development (DSK), and Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation (NSHRF) Development/Innovation (DSK) grants. MWO was supported by a CIHR Post-Doctoral Fellowship Award (#181747) and a Dalhousie University Department of Medicine University Internal Medicine Research Foundation Research Fellowship Award. MES was supported by a Heart & Stroke BrightRed Scholarship. BDS and JLP were supported by a Fredrick Banting and Charles Best CIHR Masters Awards. BDS and MES were supported by Nova Scotia Graduate Scholarships.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Kinesiology, School of Health and Human Performance, Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada

    Beverly D. Schwartz, Madeline E. Shivgulam, Jennifer L. Petterson, Yanlin Wu, Ryan J. Frayne & Derek S. Kimmerly

  2. School of Physiotherapy (Faculty of Health) & Department of Medicine (Faculty of Medicine), Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada

    Myles W. O’Brien

  3. Geriatric Medicine Research, Dalhousie University & Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS, Canada

    Myles W. O’Brien

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  1. Beverly D. Schwartz
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  2. Madeline E. Shivgulam
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  3. Jennifer L. Petterson
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  4. Yanlin Wu
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  5. Ryan J. Frayne
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  7. Myles W. O’Brien
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Contributions

BDS and MWO conceived the study. All authors contributed to data collection and/or data analysis. BDS and MWO drafted the manuscript. All authors edited the manuscript and approved of the final version of the report.

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Correspondence to Myles W. O’Brien.

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All protocols and procedures conformed to the Declaration of Helsinki and were approved by the Dalhousie University Health Sciences Research Ethics Board.

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Schwartz, B.D., Shivgulam, M.E., Petterson, J.L. et al. More moderate-intensity physical activity and less prolonged sedentary time are associated with better very short-term systolic blood pressure variability in healthy adults. J Hum Hypertens 37, 1015–1020 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41371-023-00832-y

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