Physical activity is not only associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, but there is no threshold for the association, with the lowest risk of cardiovascular disease seen for those who are most active, according to a new study showing this week in PLOS Medicine by Terence Dwyer of the University of Oxford, UK, and colleagues.
Research has shown that there is an inverse relationship between self-reported physical activity and the incidence of cardiovascular disease. However, there is uncertainty about the extent of this association, especially at the highest levels of physical activity. In the new study, researchers used data from 90,211 UK Biobank participants without cardiovascular disease who agreed to wear an accelerometer to measure their physical activity over a period of 7 days in 2013 to 2015.
Participants in the lowest category of physical activity had more smoking, higher body mass index and C-reactive proteins, and were mostly diagnosed with hypertension. Overall, there were 3,617 cases of cardiovascular disease diagnosed in participants during an average of 5.2 years of follow-up. People in each increasing quartile of physical activity, for moderate intensity, strong intensity, and total physical activity, are less likely to develop cardiovascular disease. Compared to those in the lower quartile, those in the second quartile of moderate-intensity exercise were 71% so likely to be diagnosed with cardiovascular disease (95% CI 0.65-0.77), those in the third quartile were 59% likely ( 95% AI 0.54-0.65) and those in the highest quartile were 46% as likely (95% AI 0.41-0.51). While potential confounders are considered, the possibility of unknown confounders or reverse causality cannot be completely ruled out in the present study.
Associate Professor Aiden Doherty, of Oxford University’s Nuffield Department of Population Health and one of the lead authors of the study, said: “This is the largest study ever of excellent physical activity measured by physical activity and cardiovascular disease. It shows that physical activity is probably even more important for the prevention of cardiovascular disease than we previously thought, and our findings give further weight to the new WHO guidelines on physical activity that recommend at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic activity per week for all adults. . “
Professor Terry Dwyer of the University of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Women & Reproductive Health and lead author of the study, said: “The results of this study raise confidence that physical activity is likely to be an important way to prevent cardiovascular disease. potentially the risk reduction estimated among those with relatively high activity levels is significant and justifies a greater emphasis on measures to increase levels of physical activity in the community.
Dr Rema Ramakrishnan of the University of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Women & Reproductive Health and the first author of this study said: “We are confident about the findings of the study because physical activity was objectively assessed by a more valid instrument that frequency, intensity capture, and duration of physical activity rather than being self-reported by participants.We were also fortunate to have access to data from the UK Biobank study, a rich data source that can answer this question. ‘
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