The Mortality Experience of Major-League Baseball Players

Waterbor, John W.; Cole, Pam B.; Delzell, Elizabeth; Andjelkovich, Dragana A.

doi:10.1056/nejm198805123181917

Cited by 49 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…While the above data suggest that physical activity and body weight may have a role in the aetiology of pancreatic cancer, the findings from epidemiologic studies have been sparse and inconsistent. Three small studies reported no significant association between physical activity and risk (Paffenbarger et al, 1987;Garfinkel and Stellman, 1988;Waterbor et al, 1988), as did a large study with 409 pancreatic cancer deaths (Brownson et al, 1991). In contrast, a prospective study with 350 incident cases observed about a 30 -40% reduction in risk among the most active subjects, especially those overweight (Michaud et al, 2001).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Physical activity, body weight, and pancreatic cancer mortality

et al. 2003

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In a study of 32 687 subjects with data on physical activity and body mass index (BMI) collected serially over time, we examined associations with pancreatic cancer mortality (n ¼ 212). Despite plausible biologic mechanisms, neither physical activity (multivariate relative risks for increasing levels: 1.00, 0.98, 0.92, and 1.31, respectively) nor BMI (corresponding findings: 1.00, 0.84, 1.08, and 0.99, respectively) significantly predicted pancreatic cancer mortality.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Physical activity, body weight, and pancreatic cancer mortality

et al. 2003

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“…Studies of longevity among elite athletes compared to the general public have yielded conflicting results with some studies reporting lower than expected mortality (Karvoneme, Klemola, Virkajarvi et al, 1984;Schnohr, 1971;VanSaase, Noteboom, & Vanderbroucke, 1990); whereas others have not found significant differences (Beaglehole & Stewart, 1983;Waterbor, Cole, Delzeli, & Andjelkovitz, 1988). Sarna et al (1993) found evidence for both outcomes depending on whether an athlete was engaged in aerobic (e.g., long distance running or soccer) or power sports (e.g., wrestling).…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Professional baseball provides an excellent database from which to examine this question because it has a history of detailed statistics (James, 1995). Other studies have used this database to compare longevity of major league players and the general public (Metropolitan Life Insurance, 1975;Waterbor et al, 1988;Abel & Kruger, 2004), but it has not hitherto been used to evaluate the role of awarded achievement within the sport on longevity.…”

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confidence: 99%

The Longevity of Baseball Hall of Famers Compared to Other Players

Abel

Krüger

2005

Death Studies

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The authors compared the longevity of all baseball players alive at the time of their induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame with age-matched controls who were likewise alive at the time of the Hall of Famer's induction, and also matched them for career length, player position, and body-mass index, to assess if fame in sports is associated with increased longevity. Median post-induction survival for Hall of Famers was 5 years shorter than for noninducted players (18 vs. 23 years, respectively). In a second analysis, significantly more Hall of Famers died of cardiovascular or stroke causes than other players for whom cause of death was known. Baseball fame may have a hitherto unrecognized price.

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“…Survival curves and standardized m ortality ratios for U S professional baseball players were very sim ilar to those of the m ale general population (Waterbor et al, 1988). D utch m ale long-distance skaters experienced a lower m ortality rate than the age-com parable general population, but the data suggested that com petitive racers experienced higher death rates than noncom petitive skaters (van Saase et al, 1990).…”

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A natural history of athleticism, health and longevity

Paffenbarger¹,

Lee²

1998

Journal of Sports Sciences

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Longitudinal observations on the sports play, social habits and health status of 52,000 men who entered Harvard College or the University of Pennsylvania between 1916 and 1950 have afforded means of identifying causes of disease and death. These observations were then translated into the eff ect of sports and physical exercise on health and longevity. Student sports play in college predicted a decreased risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) at least up to age 50 years. Questionnaire surveys showed physical exercise (sports play, walking and stair climbing) in middle age to be inversely related to the later development of CVD and early death. In a 10-year follow-up between 1962 and 1972, alumni aged 35-74 years who expended greater than or equal to ≥ 2000 kcal week(-1) (8.4 MJ week -1 ) in such activities had a 25% reduced risk of CVD and death compared with less active men. But, the 'protective eff ect' of early athleticism waned unless a physically active life was maintained. In contrast, sedentary students who took up an active life were at a lower risk of CVD and death than former student athletes who gave up or reduced their physical activities in middle age. A total of 17,815 Harvard alumni aged 45-84 years were followed from a 1977 questionnaire survey through 1992, with 4399 deaths occurring. Death rates declined with increased levels of total activity (estimated in kilocalories), and declined also with increased intensity of effort measured as from none, to light, to moderately vigorous or vigorous sports play. Death rates at any given quantity of physical exercise were lower for men playing moderately intense sports than for less vigorous men. Over the age range, in the 16-year follow-up, Harvard alumni playing moderately vigorous or more intense sports gained 1.5 years by age 90 compared with less active men.

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The Mortality Experience of Major-League Baseball Players

Cited by 49 publications

References 5 publications

Physical activity, body weight, and pancreatic cancer mortality

Physical activity, body weight, and pancreatic cancer mortality

The Longevity of Baseball Hall of Famers Compared to Other Players

A natural history of athleticism, health and longevity

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