Physical Activity, Levels Unchanged Past 8 Years in Turkish Adults, Prove to be an Independent Determinant of Diastolic Pressure, Waist-to-hip Ratio, Blood Glucose and Cholesterol

At an 8-year follow-up of the original cohort of the Turkish Adult Risk Factor Study, physical inactivity was assessed in 1838 subjects (mean age 48.6±14), and trends were studied after stratifying for sex and age groups. In an interview by questionnaire, participants were characterized into 4 grades of physical activity in a combined assessment of both work and leisure activity. From a mean of 2.64 grades in men and 2.38 grades in women, physical declined to 2.46 and 2. 17 grades, respectively. In order to assess the overall change at constant age, an allowance was made for 8 years of aging in mean physical activity grade by -0.17 grade both in men and women. Overall net mean activity grade of the sample population remained essentially unchanged over 8 years, since a net diminution by 2% among women was not considered significant. Among 2566 adults comprising the new as well as the original cohort, physical activity grade was noted in multivariate analysis to be significantly and independently associated with waist-to-hip ratio, diastolic blood pressure, blood glucose in both genders, and with total cholesterol concentrations in men. Physical inactivity did not prove to be a significant independent marker of coronary hearı disease, though a trend was apparent among women. In conclusion, physical activity should be useful in combatıing diastolic hypertension, central obesity, glucose intolerance and hypercholesterolemia also among Turks.