Physical activity and decreased risk of clinical gallstone disease among post-menopausal women.
BACKGROUND
Physical activity may play a role in preventing gallstone disease.


METHODS
The activity/gallstone relationship was examined in post-menopausal women from the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures (SOF; 1986-1988), a prospective study of fracture risk factors in 8010 women (mean age = 71.1 years, SD = 4.9).


RESULTS
Multivariate logistic regression indicated women in the lowest two quartiles of physical activity, according to questionnaire, had a 59% {OR = 1.59 (1.11-2.29), P = 0.02} and a 57% higher risk {OR = 1.57 (1.11-2.23), P = 0.01} of developing gallstone disease compared to women in the highest quartile of activity (PTrend = <0.0001). Additionally, this relationship was examined in a cohort of 182 post-menopausal women (mean age 74.2 years, SD = 4.1) who participated in a randomized controlled trial of a walking intervention. Women in the randomized clinical trial in the lowest tertile of physical activity determined by a physical activity monitor had a higher risk of developing gallstone disease than women in the highest tertile of physical activity, 13% {OR-1.13 (1.01-1.28), P = 0.05, PTrend = <0.04}.


CONCLUSIONS
Physical activity appears to be inversely related to the development of gallstone disease in post-menopausal women independent of body mass index.
Storti
Kristi L
KL
Department of Epidemiology, 505 Parran Hall, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, 130 DeSoto Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA. klsst75@pitt.edu
Brach
Jennifer S
JS
FitzGerald
Shannon J
SJ
Zmuda
Joseph M
JM
Cauley
Jane A
JA
Kriska
Andrea M
AM
D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D042882:Gallstones / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D017698:Postmenopause; D018570:Risk Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology