Key result
Percent body fat was significantly inversely correlated with heart rate recovery at 30 seconds (rsp = -0.31) and 60 seconds (rsp = -0.27) post-exercise in firefighter recruits (p < 0.05).
Why the study?
Firefighters face sustained risk for sudden cardiac events after fire calls, and while body composition is known to influence post-exercise heart rate recovery in non-firefighter populations, its influence in firefighter recruits remained to be examined.
Does body composition influence post-exercise heart rate recovery in firefighter recruits?
Population
57 firefighter recruits
Comparison
Influence of BMI, waist circumference, and percent body fat on HRR
Authors
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May link higher adiposity to slower autonomic recovery in recruits; hypothesis-generating and requires prospective confirmation.
Cross-Sectional (n=57)
Does body composition influence post-exercise heart rate recovery in firefighter recruits?
Effect estimate: rsp = -0.31 for ΔHRR30 and rsp = -0.27 for ΔHRR60
p-value: p=< 0.05
Reducing overall percent body fat, rather than BMI or waist circumference, may be prioritized to improve post-exercise autonomic nervous system recovery in firefighter recruits.
Cornell et al. (2021) conducted a cross-sectional in Firefighter recruits (n=57). Body composition (BMI, waist circumference, percent body fat) was evaluated on Heart rate recovery (HRR) response across time and clinical HRR indices (rsp = -0.31 for ΔHRR30 and rsp = -0.27 for ΔHRR60, p=< 0.05). Percent body fat was significantly inversely correlated with heart rate recovery at 30 seconds (rsp = -0.31) and 60 seconds (rsp = -0.27) post-exercise in firefighter recruits (p < 0.05).
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