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June 19, 2026Brain and BehaviorOpen Access

Autonomic Modulation and Body Composition in Educators: Physiological Associations in the Workplace Context

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Key result

Higher body fat links to lower RMSSD while fat-free mass associates with better autonomic regulation.

  • n=253

Why the study?

Is body composition (body fat mass and fat-free mass) associated with cardiac autonomic nervous system activity in educators?

Population

253 educators from compulsory and higher education institutions during the 2022–2023 academic year

Design

Cross-sectional

Authors

EÁEstela Álvarez-GallardoUniversidad EuropeaAGAndrea Calderón GarcíaUniversidad EuropeaPGPilar González‐SanzUniversidad Europea

Discussion

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Implication

Fat mass-HRV links in educators should not change practice; leaves open causal effects and need for prospective confirmation.

Key Points

  • This study aims to investigate the relationships between body fat mass, fat-free mass, and heart rate variability in educators.
  • Conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study with 253 educators during the 2022–2023 academic year.
  • Assessed autonomic regulation through heart rate variability and measured body composition using bioelectrical impedance analysis.
  • Analyzed the moderating effects of fat-free mass on the relationship between body fat mass and autonomic function.
  • Higher fat mass correlated with lower RMSSD values, indicating less favorable autonomic modulation.
  • Participants with higher fat-free mass exhibited lower mean, minimum, and maximum heart rates, suggesting more efficient cardiac activity.
  • Fat-free mass partially moderated the relationship between body fat mass and mean heart rate.

Study Design

Type

Cross-Sectional (n=253)

Structured PICO

Is body composition (body fat mass and fat-free mass) associated with cardiac autonomic nervous system activity in educators?

P
Population
253 educators from compulsory and higher education institutions evaluated for associations between body composition and cardiac autonomic nervous system activity.
O
Outcome
Heart rate variability (HRV) indicessurrogate

Body composition, specifically fat mass and fat-free mass, significantly influences autonomic nervous system modulation and heart rate variability.

Cite This Study

Álvarez-Gallardo et al. (2026) conducted a cross-sectional in Educators (n=253). Body composition (fat mass and fat-free mass) was evaluated on Heart rate variability (HRV) indices. Higher body fat mass in educators was associated with lower RMSSD and higher mean heart rate, whereas higher fat-free mass was linked to lower heart rates and more efficient autonomic regulation.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a35982fdd3be7785e70ed47https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.71473
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Also Consider

Synapse has enriched one closely related paper. Consider it for comparative context:

  1. 1Evolutionary Echoes: A Four-Day Fasting and Low-Caloric Intake Study on Autonomic Modulation and Physiological Adaptations in Humans2024 · 7 citations