ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY AND RISK-FACTORS FOR CORONARY HEART-DISEASE - THE CARDIOVASCULAR RISK IN YOUNG FINNS STUDY

Risk factors such as high serum cholesterol concentration measured in young adulthood predict premature coronary heart disease (CHD) in the middle-age. The objective of this study was to analyze the association s between phys ical activity and CHD risk factors - body composition, blood pressure, serum lipids, apolipoproteins, and insulin - in childr en and young adults. The design was st cross-sectional study of athero sclerosis pre cursors in children and young adults using a cohort of c hildren and young adults (N = 2,358) aged 9 to 24 years to determine i ndices of physical activity, measurements of anthropometric characteri stics, blood pressure, serum lipids, apolipoproteins A-I and B, and in sulin. The results show that a high level of physical activity was ass ociated with high serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) a nd HDL2-C concentrations, and low levels of serum triglycerides (TG), apolipoprotein B and insulin in males. However, in females, the influe nce of physical activity was evident only on TG level. In both genders , physical activity was inversely associated with obesity. In all thes e associations, a significant dose-related relationship was observed. We found no association between physical activity and blood pressure. In conclusion, physical activity is associated with a favorable serum lipid profile already during childhood and early adulthood in a dose-r elated manner, particularly in males. The promotion of physical activi ty is important in childhood in preventing obesity and premature cardi ovascular disease.