Exercise time relationship to coronary risk factors in Kuwaiti adult males 1985-1986

Two hundred and sixty-nine apparently healthy Kuwaiti men, aged 20-49, from 800 randomly selected Kuwaiti families, were examined for cardiovascular fitness and risk factors for coronary heart diseases (CHD). The risk factors were examined by exercise stress test on Quinton-2000 ECG monitor and treadmill Q-model 24-26, Bruce protocol, along with Ergo-oxyscreen, by laboratory tests of fasting blood lipid levels, and by interview using a questionnaire. The sample was stratified into three age groups, 20-29, 30-39, and 40-49. For the entire sample, the results showed that a number of the investigated factors were significantly correlated with the duration of treadmill exercise time. Univariate analysis indicated that performance was inversely correlated with age, cholesterol levels, cholesterol:HDL ratio, triglycerides and uric acid, weight, body-build indexes, body density, resting heart rate, blood pressure (BP), personal history of CHD, and smoking habits. Most of the observed significant correlations were particularly pronounced in the younger age groups, 20-39 years. In this group, significant results in the analysis of variance were found between the treadmill performance time and a number of risk factors, including: cholesterol levels, age, cholesterol:HDL ratios, triglycerides, uric acid, heart rate, elevated systolic blood pressure, and obesity.