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Updated: Jul 15, 2025
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Measuring Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System ANS Activity in Children
Published on: April 29, 2013
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Physical activity, residential greenness, and cardiac autonomic function
Maija Korpisaari1,2,3,4, Soile Puhakka1,2,3, Vahid Farrahi4,5
1Department of Sports and Exercise Medicine, Oulu Deaconess Institute Foundation sr., Oulu, Finland.
Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports
|September 28, 2023
Summary
Higher light physical activity (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) are linked to better heart rate variability (HRV), regardless of neighborhood greenness. Green environments may encourage physical activity, benefiting cardiac health.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Physical activity (PA) and environmental factors like greenness are crucial for cardiovascular health.
- Heart rate variability (HRV) is a key indicator of cardiac autonomic function and overall health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the associations between physical activity (PA), residential greenness, and resting heart rate variability (HRV).
- To explore how environmental greenness influences physical activity levels across different intensities.
Main Methods:
- A population-based study of 5433 individuals using accelerometer data for PA and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) for residential greenness.
- Generalized Additive Modeling (GAM) was employed to analyze the relationships between PA, greenness, and resting HRV.
Main Results:
- Higher light physical activity (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) showed positive linear associations with HRV.
- Men in greener areas reported higher PA across all intensity levels compared to those in non-green areas.
- Women in greener areas showed higher LPA and total PA but lower MPA, MVPA, and VPA.
Conclusions:
- Increased LPA and MVPA are independently associated with enhanced HRV, irrespective of residential greenness.
- Residential greenness positively correlates with PA, particularly for men and LPA in women, suggesting a role in promoting physical activity.
- Findings support considering urban green spaces in city planning to enhance public PA and cardiovascular health.
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