PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH CARDIOVASCULAR RISK-FACTORS AND MORTALITY

We compared Various indices for physical activity and their associatio n with cardiovascular risk factors as well as total and cardiovascular disease mortality. We used data from three independent national repre sentative samples in Germany, with a total of 7,689 men and 7,747 wome n age 25-69 years. Persons with high conditioning physical activity ha d more favorable risk factor levels compared with sedentary persons, a fter adjustment for age, body mass index, smoking, survey period, and socioeconomic status, We observed a clear association with mortality o nly for intense physical activity. The rate ratio (RR) for total morta lity was 0.36 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.16-0.79] and 0.26 (95% CI = 0.08-0.83) for cardiovascular disease mortality for men spending more than 2 hours per week on sports, compared with sedentary men. Am ong women, the corresponding RR for total mortality was 0.28 (95% CI = 0.07-1.17). The effect of physical activity on cardiovascular disease mortality among women was not dear owing to few fatal cardiovascular events.