Heart Rate Recovery After Exercise Among Overweight Young Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Overweight is associated with reduced cardiovascular fitness, and heart rate recovery (HRR) after exercise serves as a simple marker of autonomic and cardiovascular function. However, evidence comparing post-exercise HRR between overweight and normal-weight young adults remains limited.

Objective: This study aimed to compare post-exercise HRR between overweight and normal-weight university students.

Methods: This comparative cross-sectional analytical study involved 40 university students (20 overweight and 20 normal-weight) aged 19–22 years from the Faculty of Health Sciences, Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta, Indonesia. Participants were classified as normal-weight (body mass index [BMI] 18.5–25.0 kg/m²) or overweight (BMI ≥25.01 kg/m²) according to the Indonesian Ministry of Health criteria. All participants performed a standardized bout of 15 jumping jacks. Heart rate was measured at rest (HR1), immediately after exercise (HR2), and 1 minute post-exercise (HR3) using a pulse oximeter. HRR was calculated as HR2 − HR3 (beats per minute). Data were analyzed using independent t-tests and repeated-measures ANOVA (α = 0.05).

Results: Mean HRR was significantly lower in overweight participants than in normal-weight participants (17.85 ± 6.14 vs 26.05 ± 7.40 bpm, p = 0.001). Within-group analyses demonstrated significant changes in heart rate over time in both groups (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Overweight status is associated with slower post-exercise HRR in young adults, suggesting less efficient cardiovascular recovery and potentially greater cardiometabolic risk. HRR may serve as a simple and practical marker for screening cardiovascular fitness in university settings.