INFLUENCE OF PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY AND DIETAR Y HABIT ON CARDIOVASCULAR RISK-FACTORS IN HEALTHY MIDDLE-AGE MEN

Objective: To study the influence of physical activity and certain die tary habits on cardiovascular risk factors in middle age men. Design: prospective cross sectional study. Setting: primary care. Subjects: He althy male workers participating in a preventive medical examination. Interventions: All participants were subjected to a physical activity inquiry, dietary recall, inquiry about smoking habits and anthropometr ic assessment. Also, blood pressure was measured and a fasting blood s ample was obtained to assess serum total and HDL cholesterol, triglyce rides and blood glucose. Multiple stepwise and canonical regressions w ere used to analyze data. Results: Four hundred eleven subjects aged 4 6.8 +/- 10 years old were studied. Twenty four percent smoked, mean bo dy mass index was 26.4 +/- 2.6, mean calorie intake was 11.7 +/- 3 MJ/ day and mean calorie expenditure 10.6 +/- 1.1 MJ/day or 1.52 +/- 0.13 times the resting metabolic rate. Physical activity, body mass index a nd fiber intake appeared as independent but weak predictors of total a nd LDL cholesterol. Alcohol intake, age and body mass index were predi ctors of HDL cholesterol and blood pressure was predicted by age, fibe r intake and body mass index. Canonical analysis showed that 54% of bl ood pressure variation is explained by age, body mass index and fiber intake and that 31% of HDL cholesterol variation is explained by alcoh ol intake. Conclusions: Physical activity has a weak influence on seru m total and LDL cholesterol. alcohol intake is the main predictor of H DL cholesterol in these workers.