All-cause mortality associated with physical activity during leisure time,work, sports, and cycling to work

Background Physical activity is associated with low mortality in men, but l ittle is known about the association in women, different age groups, and ev eryday activity. Objective: To evaluate the relationship between levels of physical activity during work, leisure time, cycling to work, and sports participation and a ll-cause mortality. Design: Prospective study to assess different types of physical activity as sociated with risk of mortality during follow-up after the subsequent exami nation. Mean follow-up from examination was 14.5 years. Setting: Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark. Participants: Participants were 13375 women and 17265 men, 20 to 93 years o f age, who were randomly selected. Physical activity was assessed by self-r eport, and health status, including blood pressure, total cholesterol level , triglyceride levels, body mass index, smoking, and educational level, was evaluated. Main Outcome Measure: All-cause mortality. Results: A total of 2881 women and 5668 men died. Compared with the sedenta ry, age- and sex-adjusted mortality rates in leisure time physical activity groups 2 to 4 were 0.68 (95% confidence interval, 0.64-0.71), 0.61 (95% co nfidence interval, 0.57-0.66), and 0.53 (95% confidence interval, 0.41-0.68 ), respectively, with no difference between sexes and age groups. Within th e moderately and highly active persons, sports participants experienced onl y half the mortality of nonparticipants. Bicycling to work decreased risk o f mortality in approximately 40% after multivariate adjustment, including l eisure time physical activity. Conclusions: Leisure time physical activity was inversely associated with a ll-cause mortality in both men and women in all age groups. Benefit was fou nd from moderate leisure time physical activity, with further benefit from sports activity and bicycling as transportation.