Obesity, leanness, and mortality: Effect modification by physical activity in men and women

The 13‐year mortality from BMI, body fat (BF), and fat‐free mass (FFM) was examined among active and sedentary adults. In total, 2,819 men and women aged 35–65 years in 1987/1988, participating in the Danish MONICA project, were included, and followed for 13.6 years for total mortality. In men, phys...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.) Md.), 2009-01, Vol.17 (1), p.136-142
Main Authors: Heitmann, Berit L, Hills, Andrew P, Frederiksen, Peder, Ward, Leigh C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
bioelectrical impedance
Body Composition
Body fat
body mass index
Body Size
Cardiovascular disease
Electric Impedance
Epidemiology
Exercise
fat free mass
Female
Humans
lean body mass
Life Style
Male
men
Middle Aged
Mortality
Motor Activity
Obesity
Obesity - mortality
Obesity - physiopathology
Obesity - prevention & control
overweight
physical activity
Proportional Hazards Models
Surveys and Questionnaires
Survival Rate
Thinness - mortality
Thinness - physiopathology
Weight control
women
Womens health
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Summary:The 13‐year mortality from BMI, body fat (BF), and fat‐free mass (FFM) was examined among active and sedentary adults. In total, 2,819 men and women aged 35–65 years in 1987/1988, participating in the Danish MONICA project, were included, and followed for 13.6 years for total mortality. In men, physical activity modified the health hazard of both a high and a low BMI, and the U‐shaped association disappeared among the active (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.86, CI: 0.72–1.02). Among active men, FFM was inversely related to mortality (HR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.40–0.77) whereas a direct positive trend was seen for BF. Among women, physical activity modified association between BMI and mortality, but the U‐shaped association remained among the active. Among women, no significant associations were found between either BF or FFM and total mortality. All effects were independent of waist‐ and hip‐circumferences. In conclusion, among men, physical activity may play an important role for the prevention of early mortality beyond its direct effects, by modifying the health hazard of both a high and a low BMI, and by lowering the risk associated with a high BF or a low FFM. Among women physical activity lowers mortality, but an effect‐modifying potential of physical activity on associations between BMI or body composition could not be identified.
ISSN:1930-7381
1930-739X
DOI:10.1038/oby.2008.479