The National Exercise and Heart Disease Project

Six hundred fifty-one men who suffered at least one myocardial infarction eight weeks to 36 months earlier were randomly assigned to participate for at least two years as control subjects or subjects in a prescribed, supervised exercise training program. Psychosocial results at baseline and at the sixth-month, one-year, and two-year follow-ups are presented. With minimal exception, no differences were noted between the control and exercise groups at any of the testing periods. Several explanations for the lack of exercise-induced psychosocial benefit are provided.