Introduction

Childhood obesity provokes alterations in the cardiac autonomic modulation; and it has been pointed that disturbances to cardiac parasympathetic system, manifested as faster heart rate after physical activity, in this group of patients, could represent an early sign of cardiovascular disfunction.

Objective

To determine differences in heart rate at rest and after physical activity among school children, with and without obesity, attending to a pediatric service in a Second Level of Attention Hospital.

Materials and method

Under a transversal study design, and non-probabilistic sampling, school children attending to pediatric service were studied. The nutritional status was assessed through BMI Z scores, and a waist/height index. Heart rate were measured at three times: rest, after some physical activity, and at rest after such physical activity. A descriptive analysis was performed, and Pearson correlation coefficient, and Kruskal-Wallis, and Mann-Whitney tests were calculated to assess cardiac-related associations and differences between the two groups.

Results

106 school children were studied. 53% showed abdominal obesity and 66% overweight/obesity. Statistically significant mean differences were found in the cardiac frequencies post activity and at rest post activity between the patients with and without obesity.

Discussion and conclusion

Considering the notorious increases in cardiac frequencies after physical activity, children with overweight and obesity should to be closely monitored for possible signs of cardiovascular disfunction.