Cross-sectional associations between physical activity and selected coronary heart disease risk factors in young adults. The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study

Figures & data

Table I. Spearman's rank order correlations between MET-index, its individual components, and the pedometer measurements of total steps and aerobic steps (aerobic steps are those taken during activities that last for at least 10 minutes without interruption).

	Total steps		Aerobic steps
	r value	P value	r value	P value
Frequency of intensive participation	0.297	<0.0001	0.429	<0.0001
Intensity level	0.054	0.02	0.100	<0.0001
Duration of participation	0.188	<0.0001	0.217	<0.0001
Commuting at summer	0.238	<0.0001	0.297	<0.0001
Commuting at winter	0.240	<0.0001	0.274	<0.0001
MET-index (METh/week)	0.323	<0.0001	0.423	<0.0001

Frequency of intensive participation (6 categories, please see Methods for details). Intensity level (3 categories, please see Methods for details). Duration of participation (4 categories, please see Methods for details). Commuting at summer (4 categories, please see Methods for details). Commuting at winter (4 categories, please see Methods for details).

MET = metabolic equivalent.

Table II. MET-index (METh/week) tertile cut-points in each age-group in men and women.

	33.3 percentile	66.7 percentile
Women Age
24	12	28
27	6	20
30	9	21
33	5	20
36	5	20
39	5	20
Men Age
24	10	33
27	4	22
30	5	29
33	3	20
36	3	20
39	3	20

MET = metabolic equivalent.

Table III. Base-line characteristics. Values are mean and standard deviation unless stated otherwise.

	Women		Men
Variable	Mean	STD	Mean	STD
MET-index (median, range)	14.0	0–111	12.0	0–120
Leisure time MET-index (median, range)	8.3	0–110	8.3	0–93
Age (y)	31.6	5.0	31.5	5.0
Waist circumference (mm)	794	114	899	108
BMI (kg/m^2)	24.3	4.4	25.8	3.9
SBP (mmHg)	113	12	122	12
DBP (mmHg)	69	10	73	11
Heart rate/min	68	9	65	9
Daily smokers (%)	18		28
Drinks per week	3.4	4.6	8.8	10.4
Education (school years)	14.9	3.0	14.2	3.1
Total cholesterol (mmol/L)	5.1	0.9	5.3	1.0
Triglycerides (mmol/L)	1.2	0.7	1.5	1.0
LDL-c (mmol/L)	3.2	0.8	3.4	0.9
oxLDL (U/L)	79.4	23.4	88.6	25.9
HDL-c (mmol/L)	1.4	0.3	1.2	0.3
LDL/HDL-ratio	2.4	0.8	3.1	1.2
ApoA1 (g/L)	1.6	0.3	1.4	0.2
ApoB (g/L)	1.0	0.2	1.1	0.3
ApoB/ApoA1 ratio	0.7	0.2	0.8	0.2
Glucose (mmol/L)	4.9	0.7	5.2	1.0
Insulin (mU/L)	7.9	6.0	7.7	5.8
HOMA-IR	1.8	1.9	1.9	2.1
CRP (mg/L)	2.3	4.4	1.5	3.3
Serum amyloid A (μg/L)	25.6	88.8	20.8	77.7
Homocysteine (μmol/L)	9.0	3.3	10.8	4.0
Leptin (ng/mL)	15.9	10.2	5.5	4.3
Adiponectin (μg/mL)	11.0	4.5	7.4	3.3
ADMA (μmol/L)	0.6	0.2	0.6	0.1
SDMA (μmol/L)	0.4	0.1	0.4	0.1
L-arginine (μmol/L)	116.5	38.4	111.1	37.8
sPLA2 type IIA (ng/mL)	4.7	3.2	3.0	2.3
sPLA2 activity (nmol/mL/min)	1.8	0.6	1.4	0.5
Creatinine (μmol/L)	65.7	9.0	80.0	9.9

All differences between sexes P < 0.05, except for leisure time MET-index, age, insulin, HOMA-IR, and ADMA.

MET = metabolic equivalent; BMI = body mass index; SBP = systolic blood pressure; DBP = diastolic blood pressure; LDL-c = low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; oxLDL = oxidized low-density lipoprotein; HDL-c = high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; ApoA1 = apolipoprotein A1; ApoB = apolipoprotein B; HOMA-IR = homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance; CRP = C-reactive protein; ADMA = asymmetric dimethyl arginine; SDMA = symmetric dimethyl arginine; sPLA2 = phospholipase A.

Table IV. Associations between physical activity level (I–III) and obesity indices, blood pressure, heart rate, smoking, alcohol use, and education.

	I^a		II^b		III^c
Age- and sex-specific MET-index tertiles	Mean	(95% CI)	Mean	(95% CI)	Mean	(95% CI)	P value	P value adjusted for waist	P value adjusted for waist and smoking	P value sex interaction term
Age (y)	31.8	(31.4–32.1)	31.3	(30.9–31.7)	31.6	(31.2–31.9)
Waist circumference (mm)	855	(845–865)	848	(838–858)	825	(816–833)	<0.0001			0.39
BMI (kg/m^2)	25.3	(25.0–25.6)	25.0	(24.7–25.3)	24.6	(24.3–24.8)	0.0048			0.10
SBP (mmHg)	116	(115–117)	117	(116–118)	117	(116–118)	0.19			0.73
SBP (mmHg)^d	116	(115–117)	117	(116–118)	118	(117–119)
DBP (mmHg)	70	(70–71)	72	(71–72)	71	(70–72)	0.64			0.28
DBP (mmHg)^d	70	(70–71)	71	(71–72)	71	(70–72)
Heart rate/min	68	(68–69)	67	(66–68)	65	(64–65)	<0.0001	<0.0001	<0.0001	0.0181
Heart rate/min^d	68	(68–69)	67	(66–67)	64	(64–65)
Smokers (%)	30	(27–33)	23	(20–26)	14	(12–17)	<0.0001	<0.0001		0.17
Drinks per week	5.7	(5.1–6.3)	6.1	(5.5–6.8)	5.8	(5.3–6.4)	0.12			0.52
Drinks per week^d	5.7	(5.0–6.3)	6.2	(5.6–6.8)	6.4	(5.7–7.0)
Years of education	14.1	(13.9–14.3)	14.7	(14.5–14.9)	15.0	(14.8–15.2)	<0.0001	<0.0001	0.0001	0.17
Years of education^d	14.4	(14.2–14.6)	14.7	(14.5–15.0)	14.9	(14.6–15.1)

MET = metabolic equivalent; I = inactive; II = moderately active; III = active; 95% CI = 95% confidence interval for the mean; BMI = body mass index; SBP = systolic blood pressure; DBP = diastolic blood pressure.

^aNumber of participants varied between 697 and 808.

^bNumber of participants varied between 618 and 732.

^cNumber of participants varied between 636 and 728.

^dWaist and smoking adjusted means and 95% confidence intervals for the mean.

Table V. Associations between physical activity level (I–III) and lipids, apolipoproteins, and oxidized LDL.

	I^a		II^b		III^c
Age- and sex-specific MET-index tertiles	Mean	(95% CI)	Mean	(95% CI)	Mean	(95% CI)	P value	P value adjusted for waist	P value adjusted for waist and smoking	P value sex interaction term
Total cholesterol (mmol/L)	5.24	(5.17–5.32)	5.16	(5.09–5.24)	5.10	(5.02–5.17)	0.0099	0.2150		0.05
Total cholesterol (mmol/L)^d	5.19	(5.12–5.26)	5.14	(5.07–5.21)	5.13	(5.05–5.20)
Triglycerides (mmol/L)	1.4	(1.3–1.5)	1.4	(1.3–1.4)	1.2	(1.2–1.3)	0.0010	0.2191		0.16
Triglycerides (mmol/L)^d	1.4	(1.3–1.4)	1.4	(1.3–1.4)	1.3	(1.2–1.3)
LDL-c (mmol/L)	3.36	(3.29–3.42)	3.27	(3.20–3.33)	3.22	(3.16–3.29)	0.0015	0.0501		0.14
LDL-c (mmol/L)^d	3.32	(3.26–3.38)	3.25	(3.19–3.32)	3.25	(3.19–3.31)
oxLDL (U/L)	86.1	(84.3–88.0)	83.7	(81.7–85.7)	80.9	(79.0–82.8)	<0.0001	0.0121	0.0151	0.47
oxLDL (U/L)^d	84.7	(82.9–86.5)	83.1	(81.3–85.0)	82.1	(80.3–84.0)
HDL-c (mmol/L)	1.27	(1.25–1.29)	1.27	(1.25–1.30)	1.33	(1.31–1.35)	0.0001	0.0052	0.0354	0.59
HDL-c (mmol/L)^d	1.27	(1.25–1.30)	1.27	(1.25–1.30)	1.30	(1.28–1.33)
LDL-c/HDL-c	2.8	(2.7–2.9)	2.7	(2.6–2.8)	2.6	(2.5–2.7)	<0.0001	0.0003	0.0021	0.31
LDL-c/HDL-c^d	2.8	(2.7–2.8)	2.7	(2.6–2.8)	2.7	(2.6–2.7)
ApoA1 (g/L)	1.48	(1.46–1.50)	1.49	(1.47–1.51)	1.52	(1.50–1.54)	0.0037	0.0202	0.0683	0.20
ApoA1 (g/L)^d	1.48	(1.46–1.50)	1.48	(1.47–1.50)	1.50	(1.48–1.52)
ApoB (g/L)	1.09	(1.07–1.11)	1.07	(1.05–1.09)	1.03	(1.01–1.05)	<0.0001	0.0195	0.0396	0.10
ApoB (g/L)^d	1.07	(1.05–1.09)	1.06	(1.04–1.08)	1.05	(1.03–1.07)
ApoB/ApoA1	0.76	(0.74–0.77)	0.74	(0.72–0.75)	0.70	(0.68–0.72)	<0.0001	0.0008	0.0070	0.48
ApoB/ApoA1^d	0.74	(0.73–0.76)	0.73	(0.72–0.75)	0.72	(0.71–0.74)

MET = metabolic equivalent; I = inactive; II = moderately active; III = active; 95% CI = 95% confidence interval for the mean; LDL-c = low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; oxLDL = oxidized low-density lipoprotein; HDL-c = high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; ApoA1 = apolipoprotein A1; ApoB = apolipoprotein B.

^aNumber of participants varied between 697 and 808.

^bNumber of participants varied between 618 and 732.

^cNumber of participants varied between 636 and 728.

^dWaist and smoking adjusted means and 95% confidence intervals for the mean.

Table VI. Associations between physical activity level (I–III) and glucose metabolism markers and inflammatory markers.

	I^a		II^b		III^c
Age- and sex-specific MET-index tertiles	Mean	(95% CI)	Mean	(95% CI)	Mean	(95% CI)	P value	P value adjusted for waist	P value adjusted for waist and smoking	P value sex interaction term
Glucose (mmol/L)	5.1	(5.0–5.2)	5.1	(5.0–5.1)	5.0	(4.9–5.0)	0.0032	0.0433	0.0835	0.33
Glucose (mmol/L)^d	5.1	(5.1–5.2)	5.1	(5.0–5.1)	5.0	(5.0–5.1)
Insulin (mU/L)	8.6	(8.0–9.1)	8.0	(7.6–8.4)	6.8	(6.5–7.1)	<0.0001	<0.0001	<0.0001	0.09
Insulin (mU/L)^d	8.4	(8.0–8.8)	7.9	(7.5–8.3)	7.1	(6.7–7.5)
HOMA-IR	2.1	(1.9–2.3)	1.9	(1.7–2.0)	1.5	(1.4–1.6)	<0.0001	<0.0001	<0.0001	0.08
HOMA-IR^d	2.0	(1.9–2.2)	1.8	(1.7–2.0)	1.6	(1.5–1.8)
CRP (mg/L)	2.1	(1.8–2.4)	2.0	(1.6–2.3)	1.6	(1.4–1.9)	<0.0001	0.0095	0.0144	0.21
CRP (mg/L)^d	2.0	(1.7–2.3)	1.9	(1.6–2.2)	1.7	(1.4–2.0)
Serum amyloid A (μg/L)	25.4	(19.0–31.9)	25.9	(17.2–34.7)	18.6	(16.0–21.1)	0.0270	0.1658		0.89
Serum amyloid A (μg/L)^d	25.0	(18.6–31.3)	26.0	(19.4–32.7)	18.9	(12.3–25.6)
Homocysteine (μmol/L)	9.9	(9.6–10.2)	9.9	(9.5–10.2)	9.7	(9.5–10.0)	0.4492			0.61
Homocysteine (μmol/L)^d	9.9	(9.6–10.2)	9.9	(9.6–10.2)	9.8	(9.5–10.1)
sPLA2 type IIA (ng/mL)	3.99	(3.77–4.22)	3.88	(3.64–4.12)	3.97	(3.75–4.18)	0.8765			0.94
sPLA2 type IIA (ng/mL)^d	3.96	(3.74–4.18)	3.87	(3.64–4.10)	3.95	(3.72–4.18)
sPLA2 activity (nmol/mL/min)	1.65	(1.61–1.70)	1.61	(1.56–1.66)	1.60	(1.55–1.64)	0.0410	0.0223	0.0683	0.98
sPLA2 activity (nmol/mL/min)^d	1.64	(1.60–1.69)	1.61	(1.57–1.66)	1.59	(1.55–1.64)

MET = metabolic equivalent; I = inactive; II = moderately active; III = active; 95% CI = 95% confidence interval for the mean; HOMA-IR = homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance; CRP = C-reactive protein; sPLA2 = phospholipase A2.

^aNumber of participants varied between 697 and 808.

^bNumber of participants varied between 618 and 732.

^cNumber of participants varied between 636 and 728.

^dWaist and smoking adjusted means and 95% confidence intervals for the mean.

Table VII. Associations between physical activity level (I–III) and adipokines and arginine metabolism markers.

	I^a		II^b		III^c
Age- and sex-specific MET-index tertiles	Mean	(95% CI)	Mean	(95% CI)	Mean	(95% CI)	P value	P value adjusted for waist	P value adjusted for waist and smoking	P value sex interaction term
Leptin (ng/mL)	12.3	(11.6–13.1)	11.0	(10.2–11.7)	9.9	(9.2–10.6)	<0.0001	<0.0001	<0.0001	0.35
Leptin (ng/mL)^d	12.0	(11.3–12.7)	10.6	(9.9–11.3)	10.0	(9.3–10.7)
Adiponectin (μg/mL)	9.1	(8.8–9.4)	9.1	(8.8–9.4)	9.8	(9.4–10.1)	0.0051	0.3685		0.0050
Adiponectin (μg/mL)^d	9.3	(9.0–9.6)	9.1	(8.8–9.5)	9.4	(9.1–9.7)
ADMA (μmol/L)	0.60	(0.59–0.61)	0.59	(0.57–0.60)	0.59	(0.57–0.60)	0.1564			0.10
ADMA (μmol/L)^d	0.60	(0.59–0.61)	0.59	(0.58–0.60)	0.59	(0.57–0.60)
SDMA (μmol/L)	0.39	(0.38–0.40)	0.38	(0.38–0.39)	0.40	(0.39–0.41)	0.4710			0.0075
SDMA (μmol/L)^d	0.39	(0.39–0.40)	0.39	(0.38–0.39)	0.40	(0.39–0.40)
L-arginine (μmol/L)	116.6	(113.8–119.4)	113.2	(110.2–116.2)	111.9	(108.9–114.9)	0.0130	0.0127	0.0397	0.66
L-arginine (μmol/L)^d	116.0	(113.1–118.8)	113.0	(110.0–116.0)	112.3	(109.3–115.3)
Creatinine (μmol/L)	71.0	(70.2–71.8)	72.1	(71.3–73.0)	74.0	(73.0–75.0)	<0.0001	<0.0001	<0.0001	0.77
Creatinine (μmol/L)^d	71.1	(70.3–72.0)	72.2	(71.4–73.1)	74.5	(73.6–75.4)

MET = metabolic equivalent; I = inactive; II = moderately active; III = active; 95% CI = 95% confidence interval for the mean; ADMA = asymmetric dimethyl arginine; SDMA = symmetric dimethyl arginine.

^aNumber of participants varied between 697 and 808.

^bNumber of participants varied between 618 and 732.

^cNumber of participants varied between 636 and 728.

^dWaist and smoking adjusted means and 95% confidence intervals for the mean.

Table VIII. Sex-stratified analysis for physical activity and risk markers in which the MET-index × sex interaction term was significant (P < 0.05).

	I		II		III
MET-index tertiles	Mean	(95% CI)	Mean	(95% CI)	Mean	(95% CI)	P value for trend	P value adjusted for age	P value adjusted for age and waist	P value adjusted for age, waist, and smoking
Women
Heart rate/min	69	(68–70)	68	(67–69)	67	(66–68)	0.0011	0.0004	0.0024	0.0009
Adiponectin (μg/mL)	10.5	(10.1–11.0)	10.7	(10.2–11.1)	11.8	(11.3–12.3)	<0.0001	0.0002	0.0184	0.0490
SDMA (μmol/L)	0.38	(0.37–0.39)	0.38	(0.37–0.39)	0.38	(0.37–0.39)	0.47
Men
Heart rate/min	67	(66–68)	66	(65–67)	61	(60–62)	<0.0001	<0.0001	<0.0001	<0.0001
Adiponectin (μg/mL)	7.2	(6.9–7.6)	7.5	(7.1–7.9)	7.3	(7.0–7.7)	0.45
SDMA (μmol/L)	0.40	(0.39–0.41)	0.39	(0.38–0.40)	0.42	(0.41–0.44)	0.0098	0.0089	0.0435	0.0386

MET = metabolic equivalent; I = inactive; II = moderately active; III = active; 95% CI = 95% confidence interval for the mean; SDMA = symmetric dimethyl arginine.