Five-year change in physical activity is associated with changes in cardiovascular disease risk factors: the Inter99...

To evaluate whether five-year changes in self-reported physical activity level were associated with changes in waist circumference, weight, serum lipids and blood pressure.

In the Inter99 study (1999-2006) in Copenhagen, Denmark, 4039 men and women (30-60 years) answered questions on lifestyle and provided blood samples and anthropometric measures at baseline and after five years. Multiple regression analyses were performed with five-year value of each cardiovascular biomarker as outcome and change in physical activity level as explanatory variable.

Approximately 50% of the study population were men (n=2023). Change in physical activity level was inversely associated with change in weight (p<0.0001), waist (p<0.0001), diastolic blood pressure (p=0.04), total cholesterol (p=0.006), LDL (p=0.007), triglycerides (p=0.02) and with a composite risk score "the Copenhagen risk score" (p<0.0001), and positively associated with HDL in men (p=0.01).

Five-year changes in physical activity level were significantly associated with relevant changes in weight, waist circumference, diastolic BP and serum lipids in a population-based cohort of adult men and women. Change in physical activity level induced a significant change in HDL concentration in men only. Women's use of hormone replacement therapy may partly explain this gender difference.