Physical Activity and Incident Chronic Diseases: A Longitudinal Observational Study in 16 European Countries

The minimum frequency of physical activity associated with reduced risk for onset of several chronic diseases is not well established. Therefore, this study examined, in a large sample of citizens from 16 European countries, the predictive value of physical activity frequency and intensity on the incidence of heart diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer of any subtype, breast cancer, and colon/rectum cancer.

Using data from the longitudinal Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe, the long-term associations of physical activity with incident diseases in people aged ≥50 years were investigated. Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for potential confounders were performed for each disease. Data were collected between 2004 and 2013 and analyzed in 2015.

Compared with people who never do physical activity, those doing vigorous physical activity once a week had a reduced risk of developing heart diseases (hazard ratio=0.80; 95% CI=0.70, 0.91), whereas those doing moderate physical activity once a week had a reduced risk of developing diabetes (hazard ratio=0.80; 95% CI=0.68, 0.95) and cerebrovascular diseases (hazard ratio=0.73; 95% CI 0.58, 0.91). The magnitude of the associations increased with higher frequencies for both moderate and vigorous physical activity. Consistent results were obtained in sensitivity analyses.

Doing physical activity once a week, which is less than current recommendations in terms of frequency, is associated with reduced risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and diabetes among middle-aged and older adults.