Cardiovascular Effects of Aerobic Exercise With Self-Selected or Predetermined Intensity in Adolescents With Obesity

This study compared the effects of self-selected exercise intensity (SEI) versus predetermined exercise intensity (PEI) on blood pressure (BP) and arterial stiffness in adolescents with obesity. A total of 37 adolescents, 14.7 (1.6) years old, body mass index ≥95th percentile were randomly allocated into SEI (n = 18; 12 boys) or PEI (n = 19; 13 boys). Both groups exercised for 35 minutes on a treadmill, 3 times per week, for 12 weeks. The SEI could set the speed at the beginning of the sessions and make changes every 5 minutes. The PEI adolescents were trained at an intensity set at 60% to 70% of heart rate reserve. Brachial and central BP, pulse pressure, augmentation index, and carotid-femoral pulse wave were determined at baseline and after 12 weeks. Both groups reduced brachial systolic BP (SEI, Δ = -9 mm Hg; PEI, Δ = -4 mm Hg; P < .01), central systolic BP (SEI, Δ = -4 mm Hg; PEI, Δ = -4 mm Hg; P = .01), and central pulse pressure (SEI, Δ = -4 mm Hg; PEI, Δ = -3 mm Hg; P = .02) without differences between groups. No changes in the augmentation index and carotid-femoral pulse wave were observed in either group. The SEI induced similar changes in various cardiovascular outcomes compared with PEI in adolescents with obesity.