Frequency, Type, and Volume of Leisure-Time Physical Activity and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in Young Women

Abstract

Background The inverse association between physical activity and coronary heart disease (CHD) risk has primarily been shown in studies of middle-aged and older adults. Evidence for the benefits of frequency, type, and volume of leisure-time physical activity in young women is limited. Methods We conducted a prospective analysis among 97,230 women aged 27-44 years at baseline in 1991. Leisure-time physical activity was assessed biennially by questionnaire. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the associations between physical activity frequency, type, and volume and CHD risk. Results During 20 years of follow-up, we documented 544 incident CHD cases. In multivariable-adjusted models, the hazard ratio (HR) (95% confidence interval [CI]) of CHD comparing ≥ 30 to < 1 MET-hours/week of physical activity was 0.75 (0.57, 0.99) (p, trend = 0.01). Brisk walking alone was also associated with significantly lower CHD risk. Physical activity frequency was not associated with CHD risk when models also included overall activity volume. Finally, the association was not modified by body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) (p, interaction =0.70). Active women (≥ 30 MET-hrs/wk) with BMI < 25 kg/m2 had 0.52 (95% CI: 0.35, 0.78) times the rate of CHD compared to women who were obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) and inactive (physical activity < 1 MET-hrs/wk). Conclusions These prospective data suggest that total volume of leisure-time physical activity is associated with lower risk of incident CHD among young women. Additionally, this association was not modified by weight, emphasizing that it is important for normal weight, overweight, and obese women to be physically active.

The independent and joint associations of physical activity and body mass index with myocardial infarction: The Tromsø Study

“…Excess bodyweight on the contrary has shown to increase the risk for CHD and in particular MI by 20-60% in overweight and obese individuals respectively, compared with those of normal weight [8][9][10] . Most studies examining the joint effects of physical activity and body mass index (BMI) on CVD and CHD have reported that physical activity attenuated but did not fully eliminate the increased CVD risk associated with overweight and obesity [11][12][13][14][15][16] . However, one recent study showed that overweight and obese active individuals do not have an elevated CVD risk when compared to normal weight, active individuals 17 .…”

“…However, one recent study showed that overweight and obese active individuals do not have an elevated CVD risk when compared to normal weight, active individuals 17 . Most previous studies were conducted in single sex only [11][12][13]15 , and examined either the associations of physical activity and obesity with CVD 12,16,17 or CHD 11,[13][14][15] . The exposure of interest in earlier research was LTPA [11][12][13]15,17 or a combination of occupational and leisure-time physical activity 14,16 .…”

Physical Activity and Incident Cardiovascular Disease in Women: Is the Relation Modified by Level of Global Cardiovascular Risk?

“…The inverse association between physical activity and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is well established, with both moderate‐ to vigorous‐intensity exercise as well as brisk walking having cardiovascular benefits 1, 2, 3, 4. Furthermore, this inverse association has been shown in various high‐risk subgroups, including older adults, current smokers, and adults with diabetes mellitus (DM), hypercholesterolemia, or hypertension 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.…”

Preferred intervention strategies to improve dietary and physical activity behaviors among African‐American mothers and daughters

“…While there are opportunities to explore strategies to reduce television and video game use, overall, the amount of daughters' and mothers' self-reported PA behaviors suggest that both are amenable to PA. In light of current literature that suggests that even leisurely total volume (frequency, type and duration) of PA is related to lower risk of coronary heart disease (Chomistek, Henschel, Eliassen, Mukamal, & Rimm, 2016), this finding of this sample's PA is promising and can serve as a foundation to build upon their current positive PA behaviors.…”