title: Lifelong Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Autonomic Function in Midlife.
abstract: Physical activity (PA) associates with cardiovascular autonomic function, but the relationship with lifelong PA is unclear. We hypothesized that lifelong PA would associate with cardiovascular autonomic function in midlife.
  
  
  
  At the age of 46 yr, the subjects of the prospective Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 were invited to examinations where vagally mediated heart rate variability (root mean square of the successive differences in RRi [rMSSD]) and cross-spectral baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) were analyzed from 3-min recordings of ECG and blood pressure in seated and standing positions. Three lifelong PA trajectory groups (active, semiactive, and inactive) were formed according to their self-reported frequencies of participation in PA at the ages of 14, 31, and 46 yr. Finally, 1283 men and 1779 women without cardiorespiratory diseases and diabetes had complete data on lifelong PA, covariates, and rMSSD, and 662 men and 807 women for BRS.
  
  
  
  In both sexes and measurement conditions, the active (P < 0.01) and semiactive groups (P < 0.05) had greater rMSSD than the inactive group, and the highest BRS was observed in the active group (ANOVA P = 0.001-0.032). In men, these differences were not significant when adjusted for 46-yr lifestyle (smoking, alcohol consumption, sleep, and sitting time), body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, blood pressure, lipid status, and glucose status. In women, lifelong PA remained a significant independent determinant of seated and standing rMSSD and standing BRS.
  
  
  
  Higher lifelong PA was associated with better cardiovascular autonomic function in midlife. In women, this effect was independent, but in men, it seemed to be mediated by the other lifestyle and cardiometabolic factors.
authors.affiliation: 1Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, FINLAND; 2Center for Life Course Health Research, University of Oulu, Oulu, FINLAND; 3Unit of Primary Care, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, FINLAND; 4Biomedical Engineering Research Group, University of Oulu, Oulu, FINLAND; 5Research Unit of Medical Imaging, Physics and Technology, University of Oulu, Oulu, FINLAND; 6LIKES-Research Center for Sport and Health Sciences, Jyväskylä, FINLAND; 7Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UNITED KINGDOM; 8Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, Oulu, FINLAND; 9Department of Sports and Exercise Medicine, Oulu Deaconess Institute, Oulu, FINLAND.
authors.forename: Antti M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kiviniemi
authors.forename: Nelli
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Perkiömäki
authors.forename: Juha
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Auvinen
authors.forename: Sauli
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Herrala
authors.forename: Arto J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Hautala
authors.forename: Riikka
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ahola
authors.forename: Tuija
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tammelin
authors.forename: Mikko P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Tulppo
authors.forename: Marjo-Riitta
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Järvelin
authors.forename: Raija
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Korpelainen
authors.forename: Heikki V
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Huikuri
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D017704:Baroreflex / Q000502:physiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies