[Cardiovascular risk factors in healthy adult men: influence of physical activity and dietary habits].
OBJECTIVE
To study the influence of physical activity and certain dietary habits on cardiovascular risk factors in middle age men.


METHODS
Prospective cross sectional study.


METHODS
Primary care.


METHODS
Healthy male workers participating in a preventive medical examination.


METHODS
All participants were subjected to a physical activity inquiry, dietary recall, inquiry about smoking habits and anthropometric assessment. Also, blood pressure was measured and a fasting blood sample was obtained to assess serum total and HDL cholesterol, triglycerides and blood glucose. Multiple stepwise and canonical regressions were used to analyze data.


RESULTS
Four hundred eleven subjects aged 46.8 +/- 10 years old were studied. Twenty four percent smoked, mean body mass index was 26.2 +/- 2.6, mean calorie intake was 11.7 +/- 3 MJ/day and mean calorie expenditure 10.6 +/- 1.1 MJ/day or 1.52 +/- 0.13 times the resting metabolic rate. Physical activity, body mass index and fiber intake appeared as independent but weak predictors of total and LDL cholesterol. Alcohol intake, age and body mass index were predictors of HDL cholesterol and blood pressure was predicted by age, fiber intake and body mass index. Canonical analysis showed that 54% of blood pressure variation is explained by age, body mass index and fiber intake and that 31% of HDL cholesterol variation is explained by alcohol intake.


CONCLUSIONS
Physical activity has a weak influence on serum total and LDL cholesterol. Alcohol intake is the main predictor of HDL cholesterol in these workers.
Dadán
S
S
Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de los Alimentos (INTA), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile.
Aicardi
V
V
Kauffmann
R
R
Bunout
D
D
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking