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Abstract
Studies report that football players have high blood pressure (BP) and increased cardiovascular risk. There are over 70,000 NCAA football players and 450 Division III schools sponsor football programs, yet limited research exists on vascular health of athletes. This study aimed to compare vascular and cardiovascular health measures between football players and nonathlete controls. Twenty-three athletes and 19 nonathletes participated. Vascular health measures included flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT). Cardiovascular measures included clinic and 24 hr BP levels, body composition, VO2 max, and fasting glucose/cholesterol levels. Compared to controls, football players had a worse vascular and cardiovascular profile. Football players had thicker carotid artery IMT (0.49 ± 0.06 mm versus 0.46 ± 0.07 mm) and larger brachial artery diameter during FMD (4.3 ± 0.5 mm versus 3.7 ± 0.6 mm), but no difference in percent FMD. Systolic BP was significantly higher in football players at all measurements: resting (128.2 ± 6.4 mmHg versus 122.4 ± 6.8 mmHg), submaximal exercise (150.4 ± 18.8 mmHg versus 137.3 ± 9.5 mmHg), maximal exercise (211.3 ± 25.9 mmHg versus 191.4 ± 19.2 mmHg), and 24-hour BP (124.9 ± 6.3 mmHg versus 109.8 ± 3.7 mmHg). Football players also had higher fasting glucose (91.6 ± 6.5 mg/dL versus 86.6 ± 5.8 mg/dL), lower HDL (36.5±11.2 mg/dL versus 47.1±14.8 mg/dL), and higher body fat percentage (29.2±7.9% versus 23.2±7.0%). Division III collegiate football players remain an understudied population and may be at increased cardiovascular risk.
Department
Kinesiology
Publication Date
1-24-2016
Journal Title
International Journal of Vascular Medicine
Publisher
Hindawi
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Document Type
Article
Recommended Citation
Feairheller DL, Aichele KR, Oakman JE, Neal MP, Cromwell CM, Lenzo JM, Perez AN, Bye NL, Santaniello EL, Hill JA, Evans RC, Thiele KA, Chavis LN, Getty AK, Wisdo TR, McClelland JM, Sturgeon K, Chlad P. Cardiovascular Health in Division III Football Players. International Journal of Vascular Medicine. 2016:6851256. epub.
Comments
This is an article published by Hindawi in International Journal of Vascular Medicine in 2016, available online: https://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/6851256