Effect of physical activity on glycaemia and blood pressure in healthy participants from Bissau

Abstract

Background: Recent data show a dramatic increase in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in developing countries, including cardiovascular disease, obesity and diabetes. Most of these NCDs may be preventable and to some extent treatable by alterations in physical activity. We investigate levels of physical activity according to energy expenditure, in different physical activity level participants from Bissau, Guinea-Bissau. Energy expenditure was measured in metabolic equivalent minutes per week (METs min/week) and these were related to fasting glycaemia levels, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), and fat mass percentage (FM), anthropometric variables and risk factors were also associated. Result: 429 voluntary participants were included in sprots and health facilities around the country. Of these, 187 were highly active (>3000 MET × minutes per week or at least 1500 METs min/week) and had a mean age of 26.8 ± 7.5 years. 76% (327/429) were male. The mean energy expenditure was 4866.7 ± 1241.2METs.minutes/week and the mean fasting glucose was 94.0 ± 14.1mg/dl. 3.5% (n/N) of the participants had diabetes and 11.6% (n/N) were hypertensive. Obesity was present in 1.1% (n/N) of the participants. A significant negative correlation was found between blood glucose and total physical activity (r = - 0.117, p = 0.015), and in Sport IPAQ domain (r = - .175, p <0.001). In the highly active participants, no significant correlation was found between blood pressure and physical activity, however, in the sedentary group, a significant positive correlation was found, indicating a low moderate association, between systolic blood pressure and weekly sitting time, r(175) = .205, p = .006. Conclusion: High levels of physical activity had a significant impact on glycaemia control. Physical activity had no impact on blood pressure. Approximately 170 minutes of Physical activity per week is highly recommended as a treatment strategy to reduce high glycaemia levels.