Assessment of autonomic nervous function by heart rate variability in a shopping mall: toward a social implementation model for preventive medicine

Abstract

Autonomic nervous function is influenced by aging and lifestyle factors, and has the potential to serve as a useful health indicator. However, the reliability of measurements in everyday environments has not been sufficiently validated. This study examined the feasibility of assessing autonomic nervous function using heart rate variability (HRV) in a non-clinical setting within a commercial facility. We measured the HRV of 263 visitors to a shopping mall in Tomiya City, Miyagi Prefecture, using an autonomic function analyzer (Kiritsu-Meijin). Parameters including CVRR, ccvL/H, ΔCVRR, ΔccvL/H, and ccvHF were analyzed. Background factors such as sex, age, body mass index, blood pressure, alcohol consumption, smoking status, and medical history were obtained, and multivariable linear regression analysis was conducted. CVRR was higher in women and showed significant negative associations with age and blood pressure. ΔCVRR and ΔccvL/H were lower in women and were negatively associated with age. In addition, ccvHF was negatively associated with age. These results suggest the feasibility of assessing autonomic nervous function using heart rate variability in a commercial, non-clinical setting.