Physical Activity and Stroke Mortality in Women

Abstract

Background and Purpose-Few studies have reported a protective effect of physical activity on stroke in women, particularly among elderly women. This study was conducted to examine the association between different levels of leisure-time physical activity and stroke mortality in a large prospective study of middle-aged and elderly women. Methods-We conducted a 10-year mortality follow-up of women aged Ն50 years, free from stroke at baseline (nϭ14 101), who participated in the Nord-Trøndelag Health Survey in Norway during 1984 -1986. Main outcome measures were relative risk of stroke mortality according to increasing levels of physical activity, with the least active group used as reference. Results-In groups aged 50 to 69, 70 to 79, and 80 to 101 years, the relative risk of dying decreased with increasing physical activity, after adjustment for potentially confounding factors. In groups aged 50 to 69 and 70 to 79 years, the most active women had an adjusted relative risk of 0.42 (95% CI, 0.24 to 0.75) and 0.56 (95% CI, 0.36 to 0.88), respectively. In the group aged 80 to 101 years, there was a consistent negative association with physical activity; the adjusted relative risk for the most active was 0.57 (95% CI, 0.30 to 1.09). Conclusions-Physical activity was associated with reduced risk of death from stroke in middle-aged and elderly women.This association persisted after we excluded individuals with prevalent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease at baseline and women who died during the first 2 years of follow-up. These observations strengthen the evidence that physical activity should be part of a primary prevention strategy against stroke in women. (Stroke. 2000;31:14-18.)

Factors Influencing the Decline in Stroke Mortality

“…In the Nord-Trondelag Health Survey in Norway, Ellekjaer 423 it was reported that physical activity was associated with reduced risk of death from stroke among women aged 50 and older (n=14,101) who were followed for 10 years. For all women, the adjusted relative risk of risk of stroke death was 0.77 (95% CI, 0.61–0.98) for medium physical activity and 0.52 (95% CI, 0.38–0.72) for high levels of physical activity.…”

Train the Vessel, Gain the Brain: Physical Activity and Vessel Function and the Impact on Stroke Prevention and Outcome in Cerebrovascular Disease

“…Linear [99,103,104], U-shaped [105,106] and constant correlations for all activity levels [107] have been described. Two recent meta-analyses investigated the association of physical activity and stroke risk stratified by grade of activity [108,109].…”

Physical Activity in the Prevention and Treatment of Stroke

“…They observed inverse associations of borderline significance between leisure-time physical activity and risk of stroke, with a 17% stroke risk reduction being observed for the most active women in comparison to the least active women in the study. In their report, they compared their results to those of a Japanese cohort [45], where a risk reduction of 17% (for fatal stroke only) was also observed, and to studies in Finland [29], Norway [18], and the United States [20] where risk reductions of 34%, 53% (for fatal stroke only), and 25%, respectively, were reported.…”