The study covered in this summary was published in papers.ssrn.com as a preprint and has not yet been peer-reviewed.
Key Takeaways
The inverse relation between resting heart rate and maximal oxygen consumption is directly correlated with physical fitness and adiposity.
Resting heart rate is a biomarker for fitness and, therefore, a predictor of cardiorespiratory health.
Why This Matters
An increase in resting heart rate has been linked to an increase in all-cause mortality from chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and cancer.
Resting heart rate can be used as a low-cost, noninvasive way to assess risk for cardiovascular disease and the effectiveness of interventions related to physical activity.
Study Design
The population-based study cohort consisted of 5722 women and 5143 men 29 to 65 years of age.
Resting heart rate and fitness were assessed at baseline and a median of 6 years later.
Resting heart rate was measured with two standard electrocardiogram electrodes while the patient was seated, supine, and sleeping.
A sensor worn for 6 days and nights was used to monitor heart rate during sleep.
To measure fitness, participants walked, walked on an incline, and ran on a treadmill.
Physical activity was measured over a 6-day period using a combined heart rate and movement sensor, and those data were correlated with data collected from the treadmill exercise.
