Background: Heart rate recovery (HRR), an important independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease and mortality is often used in research to study the cardiac autonomic status of an individual. Studies have shown that the HRR is impaired in men with metabolic syndrome, suggesting a deranged autonomic function in these individuals. An association has been found between HRR and the metabolic syndrome as well as between HRR and each of the components of this syndrome. It is well-known that HRR after exercise can be modified by weight loss, but the mechanism underlying the improvement of HRR is unclear.
Aims and Objectives: The aim of this study is to assess and compare the exercise-induced changes in the cardiac autonomic status of young overweight and obese sedentary females and females with normal body mass index (BMI) using HRV.
Materials and Methods: BMI and Waist/Hip ratio of 40 apparently healthy females recruited was calculated, and they were divided (following the WHO guidelines for Asians) into two groups: (1) Test group BMI >23 Kg/m2 and W/H>0.8 and (2) control group - BMI 18.5 to 22.9 Kg/m2 and W/H
Key words: Heart Rate Variability; Body Mass Index; Sympathetic Dominance
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