title: The association between resistance exercise and cardiovascular disease risk in women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to examine the association between resistance exercise and cardiovascular disease risk, independent of body composition, physical activity and aerobic capacity, in healthy women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional analysis including 7321 women with no history of heart disease, hypertension or diabetes was performed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participation in resistance exercise was self-reported and body weight and height was measured. A single cardiovascular disease risk score was established via factor analysis including percent body fat, mean arterial pressure, fasting glucose, total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Physical activity level was determined based on questionnaire data and aerobic capacity was assessed via a maximal treadmill exercise test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women reporting resistance exercise had lower total cardiovascular disease risk at any age. Specifically, resistance exercise was associated with lower body fat, fasting glucose and total cholesterol. The association between resistance exercise and cardiovascular disease risk, however, remained only in normal weight women after adjusting for physical activity and aerobic capacity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results of the present study underline the importance of resistance exercise as part of a healthy and active lifestyle in women across all ages. Our results suggest that resistance exercise may be particularly beneficial to independently improve cardiovascular disease risk profiles in women with normal weight. In overweight/obese women, total physical activity and aerobic capacity may have a stronger association with cardiovascular disease risk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, United States. Electronic address: drenowat@mailbox.sc.edu.
authors.forename: Clemens
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Drenowatz
authors.affiliation: Department of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, United States.
authors.forename: Xuemei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sui
authors.affiliation: Department of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, United States.
authors.forename: Stacy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fritz
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Preventive Medicine Research, Pennington Biomedical Research Center Louisiana State University System, United States; Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, Ochsner Medical Center, Ochsner Clinical School - University of Queensland School of Medicine, United States.
authors.forename: Carl J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Lavie
authors.affiliation: Department of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, United States.
authors.forename: Paul F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Beattie
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Preventive Medicine Research, Pennington Biomedical Research Center Louisiana State University System, United States.
authors.forename: Timothy S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Church
authors.affiliation: Department of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, United States; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, United States.
authors.forename: Steven N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Blair
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015308:Anaerobic Threshold; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D056865:Ideal Body Weight; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D065840:Protective Factors; D055070:Resistance Training
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D002784:Cholesterol
keywords: Adipose tissue; Blood glucose; Blood pressure; Body composition; Cholesterol; Strength training