Item Details

abstract

Blood pressure (BP) is a common clinical parameter in determining one’s risk for hypertension (HTN), coronary artery disease, renal disease and stroke. Individuals born preterm (PT) with very low birthweight (VLBW) have been found to have higher BP and greater risk for HTN in comparison to their term-born (T) normal birth weight (NBW) peers. PT or VLBW individuals have also been found to have lower levels of physical activity (PA) and aerobic fitness than T or NBW individuals in adolescence and young adulthood. Due to the well documented benefit of increased PA and aerobic fitness in reducing BP and HTN risk, the purpose of this study was to investigate the longitudinal association between adolescent PA and aerobic fitness with later BP in young adults born PT with VLBW. Total (TOT-hrs/wk) and vigorous (VIG-hrs/wk) PA for the past year was estimated using a modifiable activity questionnaire (MAQ) and aerobic fitness was determined from peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) in a graded maximal exercise test. Resting BP was recorded with both auscultatory and oscillometric devices and ambulatory BP monitoring was conducted to determine 24 hour BP and nocturnal dipping. A total of 142 participants (39% male) had valid data for PA measures at adolescence and young adulthood, whilst 131 had valid VO2peak measured in adolescence. ABP was recorded in young adulthood from which valid mean 24 hour BP (n=90) and nocturnal systolic blood pressure (SBP) dipping (108) were determined. When stratified by sex, correlational analyses demonstrated that adolescent PA was not associated with resting BP or ABP outcomes in young adulthood. However, change in PA from adolescence to young adulthood was found to be inversely associated with change in diastolic blood pressure (DBP) for males (r= -0.33). Significant associations between adolescent aerobic fitness and later SBP (males r= -0.38, females r= -0.25), DBP (females only r= -0.26) and nocturnal dipping (females only r=0.33) were also found. These results suggest that measurement of fitness in adolescence may provide some insight into BP in young adulthood in the at risk VLBW preterm-born population.

subject

Adolescents

Aerobic Fitness

Physical Activity

Preterm

Very Low Birth Weight

Young Adults

contributor

Francis, Ishawn Janet (author)

Nixon, Patricia A (committee chair)

Brubaker, Peter H (committee member)

Berry, Michael J (committee member)

date

2021-06-03T08:36:23Z (accessioned)

2022-06-02T08:30:14Z (available)

2021 (issued)

degree

Health and Exercise Science (discipline)

embargo

2022-06-02 (terms)

identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/10339/98849 (uri)

language

en (iso)

publisher

Wake Forest University

title

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND AEROBIC FITNESS IN ADOLESCENCE AND BLOOD PRESSURE IN YOUNG ADULTS BORN PRETERM WITH VERY LOW BIRTH WEIGHT

type

Thesis