Physical activity at work and cardiovascular disease risk: results from the MONICA Augsburg study

Int J Epidemiol. 1993 Aug;22(4):644-50. doi: 10.1093/ije/22.4.644.

Abstract

In the MONICA Augsburg study the relationship between physical activity at work, cardiovascular risk factors, incidence of fatal and non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI) and total mortality was investigated in employed men. The MONICA Augsburg baseline survey of 1984/85 was designed as a cross-sectional study with follow-up. Physical activity was determined in 45-64 year old men by interview (n = 1074, 83.6%) and by a 7-day activity diary (n = 797, 62.0%). Employed men were categorized into an active versus inactive group based on interview data on physical activity at work (PAW) which had been validated against the 7-day activity diary. When stratified by PAW, age-adjusted means of diastolic (DBP) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) and total-cholesterol (T-C) were lower and the age-adjusted mean of HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) was higher in active than in inactive men. A linear regression model controlling for age, body mass index, alcohol consumption, smoking, and heart rate confirmed this relationship for physical activity at work; regression coefficients: DBP: beta = -2.38 (95% confidence interval [CI] : -3.85(-)-0.91); SBP: beta = -2.87 (95% CI : -5.22(-)-0.52); T-C: beta = -2.80 (95% CI : -9.31-3.71); HDL-C: beta = 3.48 (95% CI : 1.28-5.79). Survey participants were followed-up for a period of 5.8 years. The incidence density (per 1000 person-years) of fatal plus non-fatal MI was 6.8 for active men versus 5.9 for inactive men; the incidence density for total mortality was 11.2 versus 5.9, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Alcohol Drinking / adverse effects
  • Alcohol Drinking / epidemiology
  • Blood Pressure
  • Body Mass Index
  • Cholesterol / blood
  • Coronary Disease / epidemiology*
  • Coronary Disease / etiology
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Exercise*
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Heart Rate
  • Humans
  • Hypercholesterolemia / blood
  • Hypercholesterolemia / complications
  • Hypercholesterolemia / epidemiology*
  • Hypertension / complications
  • Hypertension / diagnosis
  • Hypertension / epidemiology*
  • Incidence
  • Linear Models
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Myocardial Infarction / epidemiology*
  • Myocardial Infarction / etiology
  • Occupations*
  • Odds Ratio
  • Proportional Hazards Models
  • Risk Factors
  • Smoking / adverse effects
  • Smoking / epidemiology
  • Surveys and Questionnaires

Substances

  • Cholesterol