Exercise intervention and health checks for middle-aged men with elevated cardiovascular risk: A randomized controlled trial

Figures & data

Figure 1. Participant flow diagram.

Table I. Baseline participant characteristics: mean (and standard deviation).

	All (n = 168)	Health check (n = 60)	Exercise intervention (n = 54)	Controls (n = 54)	P^1
Mean age, years (SD)	40.3 (2.9)	40.2 (2.5)	40.4 (2.8)	40.3 (3.5)	0.95 (NS)
Weight, kg (SD)	88.4 (11.9)	89.3 (12.9)	89.6 (11.1)	86.2 (11.4)	0.26 (NS)
Height, cm (SD)	180.8 (6.4)	181.3 (6.6)	180.5 (6.3)	180.7 (6.2)	0.79 (NS)
Waist circumference, cm (SD)	99 (13.4)	99 (11.6)	101 (18.0)	98 (10.2)	0.55 (NS)
Systolic blood pressure, mmHg (SD)	134 (12.9)	132 (14.3)	135 (10.2)	136 (13.9)	0.28 (NS)
Diastolic blood pressure, mmHg (SD)	84 (9.0)	82 (9.5)	86 (7.6)	84 (9.7)	0.09 (NS)
RR medication (%)	8	3	11	9	0.27 (NS)
Glucose, mmol/l (SD)	5.7 (0.7)	5.8 (0.9)	5.7 (0.6)	5.6 (0.4)	0.67 (NS)
Cholesterol, mmol/l (SD)	5.4 (0.8)	5.5 (0.8)	5.3 (0.8)	5.2 (0.8)	0.05 (NS)
LDL, mmol/l (SD)	3.6 (0.7)	3.7 (0.7)	3.5 (0.7)	3.5 (0.7)	0.10 (NS)
HDL, mmol/l (SD)	1.4 (0.4)	1.3 (0.4)	1.4 (0.4)	1.4 (0.3)	0.90 (NS)
Triglycerides, mmol/l (SD)	1.4 (0.7)	1.6 (0.9)	1.4 (0.7)	1.2 (0.5)	0.01 (*)
Metabolic syndrome, n (%)	45 (7)	59 (13)	42 (13)	35 (13)	0.03 (*)
Frequency of physical activity (at least moderate intensity, ≥ 30 minutes), n (%)^2
Sometimes or never	58 (35)	21 (35)	21 (31)	16 (40)	0.07 (NS)
1–2 times/week	110 (65)	39 (65)	33 (69)	38 (60)

Notes: ¹Statistical comparisons between the groups were performed using analysis of variance or Kruskall–Wallis test for continuous variables and chi-squared test or Fisher's exact test for categorical variables. ²The men who exercised ≥ 3 times/week were excluded from the trial and therefore no one exercised this much at baseline.

Figure 2. Percentage of men who performed physical activity at least three times a week at three and 12 months in study groups.

Figure 3. Percentage of men with 95% confidence intervals with metabolic syndrome at three and 12 months in study groups.

Table II. Cardiovascular outcomes three months and 12 months after the intervention: Mean (and standard deviation).^1.

	All	Health check	Exercise intervention	Controls
Weight, kg  3 m  12 m	87.3 (11.8) 88.3 (11.8)	90.0 (12.8) 89.6 (11.3)	87.9 (12.1) 89.9 (10.9)	84.7 (10.3) 85.5 (13.0)
Systolic blood pressure, mmHg (SD)  3 m  12 m	135 (13.0) 136 (11.9)	131 (8.0) 135 (11.8)	138 (14.1) 139 (11.7)	136 (14.8) 134 (12.2)
Diastolic blood pressure, mmHg (SD)  3 m  12 m	83 (8.7) 85 (9.4)	81 (8.3) 83 (10.2)	86 (8.6) 87 (8.2)	80 (9.1) 83 (9.7)
Glucose, mmol/l (SD)  3 m  12 m	5.6 (0.6) 5.7 (0.6)	5.5 (0.5) 5.6 (0.6)	5.6 (0.8) 5.7 (0.6)	5.6 (0.5) 5.7 (0.6)
Cholesterol, mmol/l (SD)  3 m  12 m	5.2 (0.8) 5.4 (0.9)	5.4 (0.8) 5.5 (0.8)	5.1 (0.9) 5.3 (0.9)	5.1 (0.8) 5.2 (0.8)
LDL, mmol/l (SD)  3 m  12 m	3.5 (0.7) 3.5 (0.7)	3.6 (0.7) 3.7 (0.7)	3.4 (0.8) 3.5 (0.8)	3.4 (0.7) 3.4 (0.7)
HDL, mmol/l (SD)  3 m  12 m	1.4 (0.3) 1.4 (0.4)	1.3 (0.3) 1.4 (0.3)	1.4 (0.3) 1.4 (0.4)	1.4 (0.3) 1.5 (0.4)
Triglycerides, mmol/l (SD)  3 m  12 m	1.3 (0.6) 1.4 (0.7)	1.4 (0.7) 1.5 (0.8)	1.2 (0.5) 1.4 (0.7)	1.1 (0.4) 1.2 (0.5)

Note: ¹Differences are statistically non-significant.