title: Exercise during military training improves cardiovascular risk factors in young men.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Physical activity is a key component of lifestyle intervention but its independent contribution to weight loss and prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains unclear. We conducted a population-level follow-up study among young healthy Finnish men undergoing an intensive exercise intervention to examine the independent contribution of exercise to common CVD risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study of 1112 young men with mean age of 19.3 years (range 19-28) undergoing military service with structured exercise training program. Endurance (12-min running test) and muscle fitness performance (MFI), body composition, blood pressure and biochemical measurements were obtained at baseline and follow-up (range 6-12 months).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both endurance performance and MFI improved during follow-up (+170 m (SD 269) and 1.5 points (2.3), respectively, p<0.001 for both). Both improvement in endurance and MFI performance correlated with a reduction in weight, body mass index, waist circumference, fat mass and percentage, visceral fat area (VFA) and diastolic blood pressure (p<0.001 for all). Improvement in endurance performance also correlated with reduction in systolic blood pressure (p=0.042), total and LDL cholesterol (p=0.024 and p<0.0001, respectively) and improvement in MFI with a reduction in triglyceride levels (p=0.012). The 12-min running test correlated with changes in CVD risk factors better than did MFI. Associations between improved exercise performance and reduction in blood pressure, and changes in lipid levels were attributable to reduced weight and VFA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We observed that an isolated, intensive exercise intervention, especially endurance training, significantly improved CVD risk factor levels, attributable to weight loss and reduced visceral fat area.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Finland. henna.cederberg@oulu.fi
authors.forename: Henna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cederberg
authors.forename: Ilona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mikkola
authors.forename: Jari
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jokelainen
authors.forename: Mauri
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laakso
authors.forename: Pirjo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Härkönen
authors.forename: Tiina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ikäheimo
authors.forename: Markku
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laakso
authors.forename: Sirkka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D001823:Body Composition; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015444:Exercise; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008887:Military Medicine; D008889:Military Personnel; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D012307:Risk Factors