Abstract
BackgroundPhysical inactivity is a major public health problem associated with increased mortality risk. It is, however, poorly understood whether vigorous physical activity is more beneficial for reducing mortality risk than activities of lower intensity. The aim of this study was to examine associations of the intensity and volume of leisure-time physical activity with all-cause mortality among middle-aged women and men while considering sociodemographic and health related factors as covariates.MethodsQuestionnaire survey data collected in 2000-02 among 40–60-year-old employees of the City of Helsinki (N = 8960) were linked with register data on mortality (74% gave permission to the linkage) providing a mean follow-up time of 12-years. The analysis included 6429 respondents (79% women). The participants were classified into three groups according to intensity of physical activity: low moderate, high moderate and vigorous. The volume of physical activity was classified into three groups according to tertiles. Cox regression analysis was used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for all-cause mortality.ResultsDuring the follow up 205 participants died. Leisure-time physical activity was associated with reduced risk of mortality. After adjusting for covariates the vigorous group (HR = 0.54, 95% CI 0.34–0.86) showed a reduced risk of mortality compared with the low moderate group whereas for the high moderate group the reductions in mortality risk (HR = 0.72, 95% CI 0.48–1.08) were less clear. Adjusting for the volume of physical activity did not affect the point estimates. Higher volume of leisure-time physical activity was also associated with reduced mortality risk; however, adjusting for the covariates and the intensity of physical activity explained the differences.ConclusionsFor healthy middle-aged women and men who engage in some physical activity vigorous exercise may provide further health benefits preventing premature deaths.
Highlights
There is an extensive amount of studies showing that physical activity is important to health benefits and reducing mortality risk [1]
Increasing intensity was associated with higher socioeconomic position (SEP) but between the volume groups there were smaller SEP differences
Increasing intensity as well as volume was associated with lower Body mass index (BMI), better physical functioning, mental health and lower prevalence of limiting longstanding illness (LLI)
Summary
There is an extensive amount of studies showing that physical activity is important to health benefits and reducing mortality risk [1]. Some studies suggest that avoiding physical inactivity is the most important [2], [3] and that a higher volume of physical activity further reduces mortality risk indicating a dose-response association [3]. A recent review and meta-analysis suggested a dose-response association between non-vigorous physical activity and mortality [4]. Another recent review and meta-analysis showed that vigorous intensity physical activity is associated with even larger reductions in mortality risk than activities of lower intensity [5] These findings may be related to the higher volume of activity and not the intensity per se. Physical inactivity is a major public health problem associated with increased mortality risk It is, poorly understood whether vigorous physical activity is more beneficial for reducing mortality risk than activities of lower intensity. The aim of this study was to examine associations of the intensity and volume of leisure-time physical activity with all-cause mortality among middle-aged women and men while considering sociodemographic and health related factors as covariates
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