The long-term effect of physical activity on incidence of coronary heart disease: a 12-year follow-up study.
BACKGROUND
This study analyzed the long-term effect of leisure-time physical activity on incident cases of coronary heart disease (CHD) among women and men.


METHODS
A national, random sample of 2,551 women and 2,645 men, aged 35-74, was interviewed in 1988 and 1989 and followed until December 31, 2000, with respect to CHD incident cases. Women and men hospitalized for CHD 2 years before the start of the study and those who rated their general health as poor were not included in the sample. Leisure-time physical activity was divided into four levels according to the frequency of physical activity. The relationship between leisure-time physical activity and CHD was studied in a Cox regression model, adjusted for sex, age, income, smoking, and BMI.


RESULTS
When leisure-time physical activity increased, the risk of CHD decreased. Women and men who were physically active at least twice a week had a 41% lower risk of developing CHD than those who performed no physical activity (hazard ratio = 0.59, CI = 0.37-0.95), after adjustment for all the explanatory variables.


CONCLUSIONS
The positive long-term effect of leisure-time physical activity on CHD risk among women and men remains even after accounting for income and other important CHD risk factors.
Sundquist
Kristina
K
Department of Clinical Sciences, Family Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Alfred Nobels allé 12, SE-141 83 Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden. Kristina.Sundquist@klinvet.ki.se
Qvist
Jan
J
Johansson
Sven-Erik
SE
Sundquist
Jan
J
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017678:Sex Distribution; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors