title: Associations between changes in physical activity and risk factors for coronary heart disease in a community-based sample of men and women: the Stanford Five-City Project.
abstract: Aerobic exercise training studies involving volunteers generally result in an improved cardiovascular risk factor profile. Little is known, however, about associations between physical activity change and risk factor change in a more representative sample, such as a community. This investigation evaluated correlations between a composite physical activity change score and change in cardiovascular risk factors from 1979 to 1985 in the cohort sample of the Stanford Five-City Project. Men (n = 380) and women (n = 427) between the ages of 18 and 74 years were evaluated for change in self-reported physical activity and change in total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL cholesterol), systolic blood pressure, resting pulse rate, and body mass index (weight (kg)/height (m)2). For men, improvement in the composite physical activity score significantly correlated with an increase in HDL cholesterol (r = 0.14, p = 0.005) and decreases in body mass index (r = -0.16, p = 0.001) and estimated 10-year coronary heart disease risk score (r = -0.10, p = 0.056). For women, improvement in the physical activity score was associated with changes in HDL cholesterol (r = 0.11, p = 0.028) and resting pulse rate (r = -0.15, p = 0.001). These data demonstrate that an increase in physical activity over 5 years is favorably associated with changes in major cardiovascular disease risk factors in men and women and support the public health efficacy of community-wide promotion of physical activity.
authors.affiliation: Stanford Center for Research in Disease Prevention, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94304.
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Haskell
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Jatulis
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Fortmann
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002140:California; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D004522:Educational Status; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011674:Pulse; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002784:Cholesterol