title: Low physical activity as a predictor for antihypertensive drug treatment in 25-64-year-old populations in eastern and south-western Finland.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether low leisure-time physical activity, occupational physical activity and commuting activity independently increase the risk of hypertension when adjusted for most risk factors for hypertension and for different forms of physical activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Population-based prospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eastern and south-western Finland.
  
  
  METHODS
  Men (n = 5935) and women (n = 6227) aged 25-64 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Initiation of free-of-charge medication for hypertension during a mean follow-up time of 11.3 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Men with high leisure-time physical activity had a reduced risk of hypertension when adjustment had been made for age, area and year of survey, education, smoking, alcohol intake, baseline systolic blood pressure (SBP), body mass index (BMI), commuting activity and occupational physical activity [hazard ratio (HR) 0.79; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.63 to 0.99]. Women with high leisure-time physical activity had a reduced risk of hypertension when adjusted for age, area and time of survey (HR 0.65; 95% CI 0.46 to 0.91). This association was no longer significant when further adjustments were made for other covariates (HR 0.73; 95% CI 0.52 to 1.03). High occupational physical activity reduced the risk of hypertension only among men and women combined when adjustment was made for age, area and time of survey, education, smoking and alcohol intake, in addition to baseline SBP, BMI, commuting activity and leisure-time physical activity (HR 0.83; 95% CI 0.72 to 0.96). Commuting activity was not associated with risk of hypertension in multivariate models.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High levels of leisure-time physical activity are associated with a reduced risk of hypertension, independently of most common risk factors for hypertension, occupational physical activity and commuting activity. Promoting leisure-time physical activity is essential to prevent hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and General Practice, University of Kuopio, Kuopio, Finland. noel.barengo@uku.fi
authors.forename: Noël C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Barengo
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kastarinen
authors.forename: Timo A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Lakka
authors.forename: Heikki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pekkarinen
authors.forename: Aulikki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nissinen
authors.forename: Jaakko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tuomilehto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents