title: Cardiovascular and bone health of former elite infantry soldiers at middle life.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The long term implications of elite infantry service on cardiovascular health and cortical bone width at middle age has not been studied. The purpose of this study was to compare the cardiovascular health and cortical bone thickness of former elite infantry soldiers at middle life with a sedentary population of religious scholars using seven factors associated with cardiovascular risk and QCT tibial cross sections 8 cm above the ankle joint.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Torah scholars had a higher 5 year risk for a fatal or non fatal cardiovascular event (p = 0.008) than former elite infantry soldiers. The former elite infantry soldiers had wider tibia cortices than Torah scholar (p = 0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that former elite infantry soldiers who performed strenuous physical activity during their military service and continued physical activity in their subsequent life, had stronger tibias based on increased cortical width and a modest decrease in cardiovascular risk at middle life compared to sedentary Torah scholars.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hadassah University Hospital, Mt Scopus, Jerusalem, 91240 Israel.
authors.forename: Yael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Milgrom
authors.affiliation: Hebrew University Medical School, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem, 91120 Israel.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Milgrom
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hadassah University Hospital, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem, 91120 Israel.
authors.forename: Naama
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Constantini
authors.affiliation: Hadassah University Hospital Ein Kerem, Jerusalem, 91120 Israel.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lavi
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Center, Soroka University Medical Center, P.O.B. 151, Beer-Sheva, 85025 Israel.
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Novak
authors.affiliation: Assaf HaRofeh Medical Center affiliated to The Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tzrifin, 70300 Israel.
authors.forename: Aharon
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Finestone
keywords: Cardiovascular risk; Cortical bone width; Elite infantry soldiers; Middle age