Ambulatory blood pressure reduction following 2 weeks of high-intensity interval training on an immersed ergocycle.

Hypertension guidelines recommend moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) for the primary or secondary prevention of hypertension. However, alternative modalities, such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on dry land or in water, have been studied less widely. To assess chronic blood pressure (BP) response to a 2-week training programme involving six sessions of either MICT or HIIT performed on dry land or HIIT performed in an immersed condition, in participants with baseline office systolic/diastolic BP (SBP/DBP)≥130/85mmHg. We randomly assigned 42 individuals (mean age 65±7 years; 52% men) with baseline office SBP/DBP≥130/85mmHg to perform six 24-minute sessions on an ergocycle (three times a week for 2 weeks) of either MICT on dry land, HIIT on dry land or HIIT in a swimming pool, and assessed BP responses using 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring. While 2-week MICT and HIIT on dry land modified none of the 24-hour average haemodynamic variables significantly, immersed HIIT induced a significant decrease in 24-hour BP (SBP -5.1±7.3 [P=0.02]; DBP -2.9±4.1mmHg [P=0.02]) and daytime BP (SBP -6.2±8.3 [P=0.015]; DBP -3.4±4.0mmHg [P=0.008]), and slightly improved 24-hour and daytime pulse wave velocity (PWV) (24-hour PWV -0.17±0.23m/s [P=0.015]; daytime PWV -0.18±0.24m/s [P=0.02]). HIIT on an immersed stationary ergocycle is an innovative method that should be considered as an efficient non-pharmacological treatment of hypertension. As such, it should now be implemented in a larger cohort to study its long-term effects on the cardiovascular system

Obese but Fit: The Benefits of Fitness on Cognition in Obese Older Adults.

Obesity is associated with an accelerated cognitive decline. Aerobic fitness has a protective effect on cognition in older adults, but no study has investigated this effect in obese individuals. The present study aimed to 1) compare cognitive function in lower-fit (LoFit) and higher-fit (HiFit) obese individuals compared with nonobese individuals, and 2) examine the association between exercise variables (including hemodynamic variables) and cognitive function in obese individuals. Fifty-four obese and 16 nonobese individuals performed a maximal cardiopulmonary exercise test (with gas exchange analysis and noninvasive hemodynamic measurement) and cognitive tests assessing short-term and working memory, processing speed, executive function, and long-term verbal memory. Obese individuals were divided into 2 groups according to their median aerobic fitness divided by lean body mass to form a group of LoFit obese (n = 27) and a group of HiFit obese (n = 27) individuals. A total of 14 nonobese individuals and 49 obese individuals were included in the final analysis (HiFit: n = 26, LoFit: n = 23). Compared with LoFit obese, HiFit obese participants had greater performances in executive function (P = 0.002) and short-term memory (P = 0.02). Nonobese and HiFit obese participants showed equivalent performances in all domains of cognition. In obese individuals, aerobic fitness was the only independent predictor for short-term memory (R <sup>2</sup> = 0.24; P < 0.001), working memory (R <sup>2</sup> = 0.16; P = 0.02), processing speed (R <sup>2</sup> = 0.22; P = 0.01), and executive function (R <sup>2</sup> = 0.49; P = 0.003), but not for long-term verbal memory (R <sup>2</sup> = 0.15; P = 0.26). HiFit obese individuals showed greater short-term memory and executive function performances compared with LoFit obese individuals, suggesting that aerobic fitness could help preserve cognitive function despite the presence of obesity