Lack of exercise is the second biggest killer of middle-aged men

tunisante July 27, 2016 Health

Higher blood flow linked with a 21% lower risk of early death over 45 years
Those with the least aerobic capacity were less likely to live to old age
Scientists say it is important to stop sitting down for long amounts of time

Stephen Matthews For Mailonline

Published:
18:16 EST, 26 July 2016

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Updated:
04:30 EST, 27 July 2016

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Being unfit is the second biggest killer of middle-aged men after smoking, new research claims.

Lack of exercise is second only to smoking as a predictor of early death – ahead of high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Those with the least aerobic capacity – the most physical activity an individual can do as measured by oxygen consumption – were much less likely to live to a ripe old age.

Scientists say the findings highlight the need to increase physical activity and reduce sitting for long periods of time.

Lack of exercise is second only to smoking as a predictor of dying before their time – ahead of high blood pressure and high cholesterol

Dr Per Ladenvall, of the University of Gothenburg, said: ‘The benefits of being physically active over a lifetime are clear.

‘Low physical capacity is a greater risk for death than high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

‘We have come a long way in reducing smoking. The next major challenge is to keep us physically active and also to reduce physical inactivity, such as prolonged sitting.’

The study included 792 men from a representative sample of 50-year-old Swedes recruited in 1963 who, four years later, did an exercise test.

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Of those, 656 men also did a maximum exercise test in which they pushed themselves to the limit.

The remaining men were excluded because they had a health condition which could make it unsafe.

Maximum oxygen consumption, called VO2 max, was measured using a technique known as ergospirometry which measures heart and lung function.

VO2 max is a measure of aerobic capacity and the higher the figure, the more physically fit a person is.

After the initial examination in 1967, the men were followed for 45 years until 2012, at the age of 100.

‘The next major challenge is to keep us physically active and also to reduce physical inactivity,’ says Dr Per Ladenvall, from the University of Gothenburg

Several physical examinations were performed, about one every 10 years, with data on death from all causes obtained from a registry.

To analyse the association between predicted VO2 max and mortality the men were divided into three groups:

*2.00 litres of blood flow a minute

*2.26 litres of blood flow a minute

*2.56 litres of blood flow a minute

The researchers found each increase in predicted VO2 max was associated with a 21 per cent lower risk of death over 45 years.

Dr Ladenvall said: ‘We found low aerobic capacity was associated with increased rates of death.

‘The association between exercise capacity and all-cause death was graded, with the strongest risk in the tertile with the lowest maximum aerobic capacity.

‘The effect of aerobic capacity on risk of death was second only to smoking.’

He added: ‘The length of follow up in our study is unique. When this study began, most data was derived from hospital cohorts and there was very limited data on exercise testing in a large general population.

‘Our sample is representative of the male population in Gothenburg at that time.

‘The risk associated with low aerobic capacity was evident throughout more than four decades and suggests being physically active can have a big impact over a lifetime.’