Maintaining regular leisure-time physical activity over 10 years was associated with a lower risk of first-ever stroke compared to irregular physical activity (HR 0.78; 95% CI 0.61-0.99).
Cohort (n=31,855)
Does maintaining regular leisure-time physical activity reduce the risk of incident first-ever stroke in middle-aged adults?
Maintaining regular leisure-time physical activity over a 10-year period is associated with a 22% reduced risk of first-ever stroke in middle-aged adults.
Effect estimate: HR 0.78 (95% CI 0.61-0.99)
BACKGROUND: Lifestyle affects the risk of cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction and stroke. Several lifestyle factors, such as physical activity (PA), are modifiable, and in this study, we examined the association between leisure-time PA habits and the risk of a first-ever stroke. METHODS: This prospective study included residents in Västerbotten, Sweden, who participated in the Västerbotten Intervention Programme at 40, 50, and 60 years of age. Altogether, 31,855 individuals (50.5% women, mean age: 42.6 6.9 y at baseline) participated between 1989 and 2016. Leisure-time PA was categorized as irregular (never/now and then) or regular (once a week/2 or 3 times a week/more than 3 times a week). Changes in PA were compared between examinations (10 y apart). Cases of stroke were validated according to World Health Organization MONICA (Monitoring Trends and Determinants of Cardiovascular Disease) criteria. The risk related to changes in leisure-time PA was estimated using a multivariable Cox regression model. RESULTS: During an average follow-up of 9.8 years (4.4), 609 incident first-ever stroke cases occurred (1.9%). A multivariable model showed that, compared with individuals with irregular PA at both examinations, those reporting regular PA over time had a lower risk of stroke (hazard ratio: 0.78, 95% CI, 0.61-0.99). CONCLUSION: Middle-aged adults who maintained regular PA during their leisure time over 10 years had a lower risk of a first-ever stroke. This association is probably partly mediated by lower body mass index and a reduced risk of hypertension and diabetes.
Vahlberg et al. (Thu,) conducted a cohort in First-ever stroke (n=31,855). Regular leisure-time physical activity vs. Irregular physical activity was evaluated on Incident first-ever stroke (HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.61-0.99). Maintaining regular leisure-time physical activity over 10 years was associated with a lower risk of first-ever stroke compared to irregular physical activity (HR 0.78; 95% CI 0.61-0.99).