the effects of various factors on
pulse rates
yasiru
AS2021407
Abstract
This study investigates the effects of various factors on pulse rates among 91
undergraduate students, focusing on resting pulse rates (Pulse1) and post-exercise
pulse rates (Pulse2) following a brief running intervention. The research examines
the influence of demographic factors such as height, weight, gender, smoking habits,
and activity levels on pulse rates. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric models
were employed to analyze the data, revealing a significant increase in Pulse2 among
participants who engaged in running. The findings indicate that gender influences
resting pulse rates, with males exhibiting higher values than females. However, no
significant differences were found regarding smoking status or activity levels.
Despite limitations such as a small sample size and reliance on self-reported data,
this study contributes valuable insights into cardiovascular health among young
adults and underscores the importance of promoting physical activity to enhance
heart health.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study
1.2 Objectives
1.3 Scope and Limitations of the Collected Dataset
2. Methodology
2.1 Data Collection
2.2 Data Preparation
3. Descriptive Analysis
3.1 Gender Distribution
3.2 Running Activity Distribution
3.3 Smoking Status Distribution
3.4 Activity Level Distribution
3.5 Boxplot of Quantitative Variables
3.6 Histogram of Quantitative Variables
3.7 Gender and Activity Level Distribution
3.8 Scatter Plot of BMI vs Pulse1
3.9 Boxplot of BMI
3.10 Boxplots of Pulse1
3.11 Boxplot of Pulse2 by Running Status
4. Inference Analysis
4.1 Shapiro-Wilk Test for Normality
4.2 Mann-Whitney U Test for Pulse1 and Gender
4.3 Kruskal-Wallis Test for Pulse1 and Activity Level
4.4 Mann-Whitney U Test for Pulse1 and Smoking Status
4.5 Mann-Whitney U Test for Pulse2 and Running Status
5. Discussion
6. Conclusion
List of Figures
1. Gender Distribution of Participants
2. Running Activity Distribution
3. Smoking Status Distribution
4. Activity Level Distribution
5. Boxplot of BMI and Pulse1
6. Histogram of Pulse Rates
7. Boxplot of Pulse1 by Smoking Status
8. Boxplot of Pulse2 by Running Status
9. Scatter Plot of BMI vs Pulse1
10.Boxplot of Pulse1 by Gender
11. Boxplot of Pulse2 by Gender
1. Introduction
The relationship between physical activity and cardiovascular health has garnered significant
attention in recent years, particularly among young adults. Understanding how various factors
influence pulse rates can provide insights into the physiological responses of individuals during
exercise and at rest. This study aims to investigate the effects of different variables including
height, weight, gender, smoking habits, activity levels, and resting pulse rates on the pulse rates
of undergraduate students before and after a brief exercise intervention.
1.1. Background of the Study
Pulse rate is a critical indicator of cardiovascular health and can reflect an individual's fitness
level and response to physical activity. Previous research has indicated that factors such as body
composition, lifestyle choices (e.g., smoking), and gender can significantly affect heart rate
variability and resting heart rates. For instance, studies have shown that higher levels of physical
activity are associated with lower resting heart rates, while smoking can lead to increased heart
rates due to its stimulatory effects on the cardiovascular system
. This study builds on existing literature by focusing on a specific population of undergraduate
students, exploring how their pulse rates change in response to a controlled physical activity
intervention. By examining these relationships, the research aims to contribute to a better
understanding of cardiovascular responses in young adults.
1.2. Objectives
The primary objectives of this study are to evaluate the effects of a short-duration running
exercise on pulse rates among undergraduate students and to analyze the correlations between
demographic factors (height, weight, gender) and lifestyle choices (smoking status, activity level)
with pulse rates.
1.3. Scope and Limitations of the Collected Dataset
This study analyzed data from 91 undergraduate students to investigate how physical activity
affects pulse rates before (Pulse1) and after exercise (Pulse2). It examined demographic factors
like height, weight, gender, smoking habits, and activity levels to understand their influence on
pulse rates. The analysis used descriptive statistics, graphical summaries, and regression models
to find patterns and correlations. However, limitations include a small sample size that may not
represent the broader population, potential biases from self-reported data, and the controlled
environment of the study, which may not reflect real-world conditions. Additionally, the short
duration of the exercise intervention limits insights into long-term effects on pulse rates.
Acknowledging these limitations can enhance future research on cardiovascular health related
to physical activity.
2. Methodology
The methodology for this study focuses on the analysis of a collected dataset that examines the
effects of various factors on pulse rates among undergraduate students. The following sections
outline the steps taken to analyze the data systematically.
2.1. Data Collection
The dataset was compiled from a sample of 91 undergraduate students. The data collection
process involved recording several variables, including:
● Pulse1: Resting pulse rate measured before any physical activity.
● Pulse2: Pulse rate measured after one minute of running in place or standing still.
● Ran: A categorical variable indicating whether the student participated in the running
activity (Yes or No).
● Smokes: A categorical variable indicating whether the student smokes regularly (Yes or
No).
● Gender: The gender of the student (Male or Female).
● Height: The height of each student is recorded in inches.
● Weight: The weight of each student is recorded in pounds.
● Activity: The usual activity level of the student is categorized as Slight, Moderate, or A
lot.
2.2. Data Preparation
The data preparation for this study involved several key steps to ensure the dataset's integrity and
relevance for analysis. Initially, the dataset, consisting of 91 undergraduate students, was checked for
duplicates and null values, revealing no issues in this regard. Subsequently, the height and weight
columns were removed to streamline the analysis, and a new variable—Body Mass Index (BMI)—was
calculated for convenience.
3. Descriptive Analysis
3.1 Gender distribution
The analysis reveals a significant gender imbalance in the dataset, with males constituting 62%
of the sample compared to 38% for females, indicating a pronounced male dominance in the
observed population.
3.2 Ran distribution
The analysis of run distribution in the dataset highlights a difference with approximately 62% of
individuals classified as " not the student ran in place" and only 38% as "student ran in place"
3.3 Smoke distribution
The bar chart of smoking in the dataset indicates a significant d, with approximately 69.6% of
individuals identified as "Non-Smokers" compared to only 30.4% classified as "Smokers,"
3.4 Activity level distribution
The bar chart of activity levels in the dataset reveals an uneven distribution, with approximately
67% of individuals categorized as having a "Moderate" level of activity, followed by 23.1%
classified as "A lot," and only 9.9% reporting a "Slight" level of activity, indicating a clear
predominance of moderate activity among the population.
3.5 Boxplot of quantitative variable
The analysis reveals that while BMI and Pulse1 distributions are relatively symmetrical
with medians around 21 and 70 , respectively, Pulse2 shows a slight right skew with a
median of 90 and notable outliers; furthermore, the box plot for Pulse2 indicates that the
"Yes" group has a significantly higher median value than the "No" group, suggesting that
running status may positively influence Pulse2 levels.
3.6 Histogram of the quantitative variable
The analysis of distributions reveals that BMI values exhibit a relatively normal distribution with
a peak around 21-22, consistent with the symmetrical box plot; Pulse1 also shows a normal
distribution with a peak around 70-75, aligning with its box plot representation; in contrast,
Pulse2 is slightly right-skewed, peaking around 90-95, and corroborated by the box plot's
outliers; furthermore, the histogram for Pulse2 by Ran Status indicates that individuals who ran
have higher Pulse2 values, as evidenced by a rightward shift in their distribution compared to
those who did not run, reinforcing the conclusion that running status is associated with elevated
Pulse2 levels
3.7 Gender and Activity Level Distribution
The analysis of overall activity levels reveals that while males generally show higher activity
levels compared to females, this observation is influenced by a larger male population in the
dataset; specifically, both genders exhibit similar proportions across activity levels, with a
significant number of males engaging in "A Lot" of activity, a comparable number participating
in "Moderate" activity, and a larger proportion of females classified as engaging in "Slight"
activity.
3.8 Scatter plot of BMI vs pulse 1
There doesn't appear to be a clear linear relationship between BMI and Pulse1. The points are
scattered without a distinct pattern or trend.
3.9 Boxplot of BMI
The analysis reveals that smokers tend to have higher BMI compared to non-smokers, males
generally exhibit higher BMI than females, and individuals with higher activity levels show
lower BMI, with those engaging in "A Lot" of activity having the lowest median BMI and the
most compact distribution.
3.10 Boxplots of pulse 1
The analysis of Pulse1 by smoke status reveals that smokers exhibit a slightly higher median
Pulse1 compared to non-smokers, with a broader distribution indicated by a larger interquartile
range (IQR); similarly, males have a higher median Pulse1 than females, accompanied by a more
spread-out distribution, while individuals engaging in "A Lot" of activity show the lowest
median Pulse1, with those in the "Slight" category displaying the highest median and the widest
distribution, suggesting that smoking status, gender, and activity level all influence resting heart
rates.
3.11 Boxplot of pulse 2 by ran status
The analysis of Pulse2 reveals a clear distinction between individuals who ran ("yes") and those
who did not ("no"), with the "yes" group exhibiting a significantly higher median Pulse2;
additionally, the larger interquartile range (IQR) for runners indicates greater variability in
Pulse2 values, and the presence of several potential outliers suggests that some individuals
experienced unusually high Pulse2 values following running activities.
4. Inference Analysis
4.1 Shapiro-Wilk test for normality
Shapiro-Wilk Test Results:
Pulse1: p-value = 0.0468537131556632
Pulse2: p-value = 3.40896631735857e-05
BMI: p-value = 0.209082924553956
The Shapiro-Wilk test results indicate that Pulse1 and Pulse2 are not normally distributed, with
p-values of approximately 0.047 and 3.41e-05, respectively, while BMI is normally distributed
with a p-value of about 0.209.
4.2 Mann-Whitney U Test for pule 1 and Gender
Mann-Whitney U Test Results:
U Statistic: 693.5
P-value: 0.0144449706597347
The Mann-Whitney U test results for Pulse1 by gender show a U statistic of 693.5 and a p-value
of approximately 0.014. This p-value is below the conventional threshold of 0.05, indicating a
statistically significant difference in Pulse1 values between males and females. Thus, we can
conclude that there is strong evidence to suggest that gender influences Pulse1 measurements.
4.3 The Kruskal-Wallis test for pulse 1 and activity level
H Statistic: 3.6546275165445277
P-value: 0.1608450566769071
The Kruskal-Walli’s test results yield an H statistic of approximately 3.65 and a p-value of about
0.161. Since the p-value exceeds the conventional significance level of 0.05, we conclude that
the differences in Pulse1 values across different activity levels are not statistically significant.
This suggests that there is no strong evidence to indicate that activity level affects Pulse1
measurements
4.4 Mann-Whitney U Test Results for Pulse1 and Smokes Status
U Statistic: 1019.5
P-value: 0.29558971645302934
The Mann-Whitney U test results for Pulse1 and smoke status show a U statistic of 1019.5 and a
p-value of approximately 0.296. Since the p-value exceeds the conventional significance level of
0.05, we conclude that the difference in Pulse1 values between smokers and non-smokers is not
statistically significant, indicating no strong evidence to suggest that smoking status affects
Pulse1 measurements.
4 .5 Mann-Whitney U Test Results for Pulse2 and Ran Status
U Statistic: 1662.0
P-value: 8.680398573895758e-08
The Mann-Whitney U test results for Pulse2 and running status indicate a U statistic of 1662.0
and a p-value of approximately 8.68e-08. Since the p-value is significantly below the
conventional threshold of 0.05, we conclude that the difference in Pulse2 values between
individuals who ran and those who did not is statistically significant, suggesting that running
status has a strong effect on Pulse2 measurements.
5. Discussion
The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the relationship between physical
activity and pulse rates among undergraduate students, highlighting the influence of various
demographic and lifestyle factors. The significant increase in post-exercise pulse rates (Pulse2)
among individuals who participated in running activities underscores the immediate
physiological response of the cardiovascular system to exercise. This aligns with existing
literature that suggests physical activity enhances heart rate as part of the body's adaptive
mechanisms to meet increased oxygen demands during exertion.
Impact of Demographic Factors
The analysis revealed a statistically significant difference in resting pulse rates (Pulse1) between
genders, with males exhibiting higher values than females. This finding is consistent with
previous studies indicating that males generally have higher resting heart rates due to differences
in body composition and hormonal influences. However, the lack of significant differences in
Pulse1 across different activity levels and smoking status may indicate that these factors have a
more nuanced impact on resting heart rates than previously thought. The self-reported nature of
smoking and activity levels could also contribute to potential biases, suggesting a need for more
objective measures in future research.
Role of Physical Activity
The results clearly demonstrate that engaging in physical activity, such as running, leads to a
marked increase in post-exercise pulse rates. The Mann-Whitney U test indicated a strong
statistical significance
(p < 0.001) for Pulse2 values between those who ran and those who did not. This finding
reinforces the notion that even brief bouts of exercise can elicit substantial cardiovascular
responses, which is particularly relevant for promoting physical activity among young adults.
6. Conclusion
This study explored the effects of physical activity and various demographic factors on pulse
rates among undergraduate students. The analysis revealed that engaging in a brief running
exercise significantly increased post-exercise pulse rates (Pulse2), demonstrating the immediate
cardiovascular response to physical activity. The results indicated a notable difference in resting
pulse rates (Pulse1) based on gender, with males exhibiting higher values than females, while no
significant differences were found regarding smoking status or activity levels.Despite the
limitations of a relatively small sample size and reliance on self-reported data, the findings
contribute to our understanding of cardiovascular health in young adults. The strong statistical
significance of the differences in Pulse2 between those who engaged in running versus those
who did not reinforces the importance of promoting physical activity for enhancing heart health.
