Relationships between body weight change and cardiovascular disease risk factors in male former athletes

Abstract

To evaluate the cardiovascular disease risk factor profile in former athletes according to their weight-change patterns during the postcompetitive period. Cohort study with a retrospective assessment of baseline weight of male former top-level athletes. One-hundred and fifty top-level athletes aged 35-60 y were divided into four groups according to the weight-change patterns during the postcompetitive period (weight loss, constant weight, weight gain over 3.0 kg and weight gain over 10.0 kg). Anthropometric measurements (height, weight, BMI, percentage fat, skinfolds, waist-to-hip-ratio (WHR), resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP), serum lipids and lipoproteins (CHOL, HDL-C, LDL-C, TG), and physical working capacity. A questionnaire was drawn up to evaluate current and previous physical activity, lifestyle indices and to record weight at the age of 20 (according to sports diaries). Weight gain over 10.0 kg in former athletes was closely associated with higher body mass index, percentage body fat, skinfold thickness, WHR, SBP, DBP, LDL-C and TG values, as well as lower HDL-C, HDL-C/CHOL ratio and physical working capacity values. After adjustment for confounders, the weight gainers over 10.0 kg revealed a higher risk of hypertension (OR 6.65; 95% CI 2.99-11.65), abdominal fat distribution pattern (OR 10.51; 95% CI 6.11-16.24), elevated LDL-C (OR 1.88; 95% CI 1.15-3.06) and hypertriglyceridemia (OR 3.52; 95% CI 1.12-8.56) compared with those whose weight was constant. Weight loss and weight gain less than 10.0 kg were significantly related to increased risk for abdominal fat distribution pattern. The results of the present study showed that weight gain during the postcompetitive period was associated with a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors in male former athletes.