Cb. Eaton et al., PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY, PHYSICAL-FITNESS, AND CORONARY HEART-DISEASE RISK-FACTORS, Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 27(3), 1995, pp. 340-346
The relationships between physical activity, physical fitness, and cor
onary heart disease risk factors measured in a large community sample
were evaluated. Self-reported physical activity using a single questio
n, maximal oxygen consumption estimates derived from the pawtucket Hea
rt Health Step Test, blood pressure, nonfasting lipids, and body mass
index were cross-sectionally evaluated in 381 men and 556 women. The c
orrelation of estimated maximal oxygen consumption and self-reported p
hysical activity was modest but statistically significant (r = 0.13 in
men and r = 0.19 in women). Blood pressure, body mass index, and HDL
cholesterol were correlated with physical fitness (r = 0.24-0.65) and
correlated to self-reported physical activity (r = 0.09-0.14). Evaluat
ion of coronary heart disease risk factors using both physical activit
y and physical fitness revealed a complex relationship that generally
showed a stronger relationship with measures of physical fitness than
with physical activity. This study suggests that simultaneous measurem
ent of physical activity and physical fitness may be useful in epidemi
ologic studies of habitual physical activity and chronic disease.