Long-term effects of different physical activity levels on coronary heart disease risk factors in middle-aged men

In order to define the amount of physical activity appropriate in primary p revention of coronary heart disease (CHD), we have compared the effects dur ing 5 years of physical activity in four groups of middle-aged men with dif ferent but stable approximate metabolic costs of leisure time sports activi ties (AMC-SA): sedentary (n = 40; 0 kcal per week), low activity (n = 31; 1 -999 kcal per week), moderate activity (n = 56; 1000-1999 kcal per week), a nd high activity (n = 71; greater than or equal to 2000 kcal per week). Tim e related increase of body mass and BMI was more pronounced in lower activi ty groups. Changes in HDL cholesterol were more favourable in the high acti vity group as compared to sedentary and low activity groups. The increase o f diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in the sedentary group was statistically s ignificantly different from the decrease of DBP observed in both moderate a nd high activity groups. We conclude that favourable longterm stabilization of most coronary risk factors is achievable with physical activity energy expenditure above 1000 kcal per week. Physical activity-related energy expe nditure 2000 kcal per week is associated with some additional benefits, esp ecially with a favourable modification of HDL cholesterol level.