Changes in leisure-time physical activity during the adult life span and relations to cardiovascular risk factors—Results from multiple Swedish studies

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate how self-reported leisure-time physical activity (PA) changes during the adult life span, and to study how PA is related to cardiovascular risk factors using longitudinal studies. METHODS: Several Swedish population-based longitudinal studies were used in the present study (PIVUS, ULSAM, SHE, and SHM, ranging from hundreds to 30,000 participants) to represent information across the adult life span in both sexes. Also, two cross-sectional studies were used as comparison (EpiHealth, LifeGene). PA was assessed by questionnaires on a four or five-level scale. RESULTS: Taking results from several samples into account, an increase in PA from middle-age up to 70 years was found in males, but not in females. Following age 70, a decline in PA was seen. Young adults reported both a higher proportion of sedentary behavior and a higher proportion high PA than the elderly. Females generally reported a lower PA at all ages. PA was mainly associated with serum triglycerides and HDL-cholesterol, but also weaker relationships with fasting glucose, blood pressure and BMI were found. These relationships were generally less strong in elderly subjects. CONCLUSION: Using data from multiple longitudinal samples the development of PA over the adult life span could be described in detail and the relationships between PA and cardiovascular risk factors were portrayed. In general, a higher or increased physical activity over time was associated with a more beneficial cardiovascular risk factor profile, especially lipid levels.