Does higher aerobic power or physical activity reduce cardiovascular disease risk factors in adults?
Aerobic power (VO2max) is more strongly associated with reduced cardiovascular risk factors than self-reported physical activity levels, and improving VO2max through exercise reduces risk factors in low-fit individuals.
PURPOSE: This study determined the relationship between aerobic power (VO2max), physical activity (PA), and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. The study also determined how increased VO2max and increased PA levels influence CVD risk factors of 576 low-fit adults (VO2max 0.05). Participation in a 9-wk exercise program by low-fit individuals resulted in a 9% increase in PA levels (P 3 mL.kg-1.min-1; N = 345) had a reduction in RR for high cholesterol (RR: 0.62; CI 0.42-0.92) and systolic BP (RR: 0.57; CI 0.40-0.80). No reduction in RR were noted for diastolic BP or obesity. CONCLUSIONS: Aerobic power appears to have more of an influence on CVD risk factors than PA levels. Further, in low-fit persons, it appears that PA resulting in an increased aerobic power is associated with a reduction in CVD risk factors of cholesterol and BP in as little as 9 wk.
McMurray et al. (Thu,) studied this question.