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Document Details : Title: Physical exercise and coronary artery disease Author(s): FAGARD, Robert H. Journal: Acta Cardiologica Volume: 57 Issue: 2 Date: April 2002 Pages: 91-100 DOI: 10.2143/AC.57.2.2005379 Abstract : Hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, smoking and diabetes are firmly established risk factors for coronary artery disease and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in general. In contrast, physical inactivity has encountered more difficulties to be accepted as a risk factor for which several reasons can be invoked. Unlike the so-called major risk factors, physical activity is more difficult to quantify. Furthermore, it involves occupational and leisure-time activities with variable dynamic and static components, which may have different effects on health.Studies have used various questionnaires and sometimes interviews relating to the subject’s physical activity at work,at leisure time or both over different periods of time. Most authors accept that the estimation of physical activity by questionnaire or interview is a poor but nevertheless useful and possibly the best available tool. A number ofo ther studies have measured physical fitness through maximal or submaximal exercise testing, but it should be realized that the relationship between physical activity and physical fitness is of a low order. Research in twins revealed that about half of the variance in fitness results from genetic composition. Furthermore, even adequate dynamic physical training will only lead to an on average 15% increase in exercise performance, and there is evidence that also this effect is partly genetically determined. |
