Abstract
Purpose
Some studies of leisure time physical activity find a cardiovascular benefit for moderate
activity, whereas others find benefit only for regular vigorous activity. We examined
the relation between physical activity and 3-year progression of carotid atherosclerosis.
Methods
Baseline examinations were conducted during 1995 to 1996 with two follow-up examinations
at 1.5-year intervals. Intima-media thickness of the common carotid arteries was determined
by B-mode ultrasound in a cohort of 500 randomly sampled women and men, aged 40 to
60 years, who were asymptomatic for cardiovascular disease. Sedentary leisure activity
was defined as the lowest quartile of a general activity measure, whereas vigorous
activity was defined as aerobic activity ≥3.5 times per week. The remainder defined
the moderate activity group. Analyses were adjusted for confounding variables.
Results
The mean (± SE) age- and sex-adjusted rates of progression of intima-media thickness
declined from 14.3 ± 1.7 microns per year in sedentary subjects, to 10.2 ± 1.0 microns
per year in moderately active subjects, to 5.5 ± 1.5 microns per year in vigorously
active subjects (P for trend <0.0001), and remained statistically significant after adjustment for other
confounding factors (P for trend = 0.0004). Compared with the moderate activity group, the vigorous activity
group had lower body mass index and resting heart rate and increased high-density
lipoprotein cholesterol level, whereas the sedentary group had an increased resting
heart rate. Workplace activity was not protective.
Conclusion
Physical activity during leisure is inversely related to the progression of atherosclerosis
in the carotid artery. This benefit appears to increase throughout the activity continuum.
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
February 27,
2003
Received:
August 2,
2002
Footnotes
☆This research was supported by U.S. Public Health Service Grant HL49910 from the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
Identification
Copyright
© 2003 Excerpta Medica Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
