Abstract
This study examined: (a) differences in lung function between current and non current smokers who had sedentary lifestyles and non sedentary lifestyles and (b) the mediating effect of sedentary lifestyle on the association between smoking and lung function in African Americans. Sedentary lifestyle was defined as the lowest quartile of the total physical activity score. The results of linear and logistic regression analyses revealed that non smokers with non sedentary lifestyles had the highest level of lung function, and smokers with sedentary lifestyles had the lowest level. The female non-smokers with sedentary lifestyles had a significantly higher FEV1% predicted and FVC% predicted than smokers with non sedentary lifestyles (93.3% vs. 88.6%; p = 0.0102 and 92.1% vs. 86.9%; p = 0.0055 respectively). FEV1/FVC ratio for men was higher in non smokers with sedentary lifestyles than in smokers with non sedentary lifestyles (80.9 vs. 78.1; p = 0.0048). Though smoking is inversely associated with lung function, it seems to have a more deleterious effect than sedentary lifestyle on lung function. Physically active smokers had higher lung function than their non physically active counterparts.
Highlights
Previous studies have demonstrated that there is a correlation between smoking and lung function.Some researchers have concluded that forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) is a powerful predictor of general, pulmonary, and cardiovascular mortality and morbidity [1,2,3,4]
Unadjusted sex-stratified comparative analysis of measures of lung function (FEV1, forced vital capacity (FVC), Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1)/FVC ratio, percent predicted FEV1 (PPFEV1), percent predicted FVC (PPFVC) and airway obstruction) indicated significant differences between the four subgroups for both genders. For both genders, participants who were non smokers with a non sedentary lifestyle (NSK-NSL) group had the highest level of lung function and participants who were smokers and had a sedentary lifestyle (SK-Sedentary lifestyle (SL)) had the lowest lung function level
Men who were current smokers, irrespective of sedentary lifestyle had greater mean total dietary fiber intake compared to the non-current smokers; this was true for women (See Table 1)
Summary
Some researchers have concluded that forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) is a powerful predictor of general, pulmonary, and cardiovascular mortality and morbidity [1,2,3,4] This is significant because the size of the airway, its elasticity, other respiratory disease, inflammation, and airway obstruction are physical characteristics of the pulmonary system that influence FEV1. Exposure to heavy environmental tobacco smoke in an Oriental population was found to be associated with significant impairment of endothelial function, independent of age, gender, and traditional risk parameters. This may have adverse implications for cardiovascular risk in a modernizing Oriental population [8]. In a study in 2011 by Katz et al, it was found that physically inactive individuals with obstructive lung disease (OLD) had increased odds of increase in disability after controlling for baseline disability, lung function, and other covariates [11]
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