The physical activity paradox in cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality: the contemporary Copenhagen General Population Study with 104 046 adults

Aims: Leisure time physical activity associates with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality, while these relationships for occupational physical activity are unclear. We tested the hypothesis that leisure time physical activity associates with reduced major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and all-cause mortality risk, while occupational physical activity associates with increased risks. Methods and results: We studied 104 046 women and men aged 20-100years in the Copenhagen General Population Study with baseline measurements in 2003-2014 and median 10-year follow-up. Both leisure and occupational physical activity were based on self-report with four response categories. We observed 7913 (7.6%) MACE and 9846 (9.5%) deaths from all causes. Compared to low leisure time physical activity, multivariable adjusted (for lifestyle, health, living conditions, and socioeconomic factors) hazard ratios for MACE were 0.86 (0.78-0.96) for moderate, 0.77 (0.69-0.86) for high, and 0.85 (0.73-0.98) for very high activity; corresponding values for higher occupational physical activity were 1.04 (0.95-1.14), 1.15 (1.04-1.28), and 1.35 (1.14-1.59), respectively. For all-cause mortality, corresponding hazard ratios for higher leisure time physical activity were 0.74 (0.68-0.81), 0.59 (0.54-0.64), and 0.60 (0.52-0.69), and for higher occupational physical activity 1.06 (0.96-1.16), 1.13 (1.01-1.27), and 1.27 (1.05-1.54), respectively. Similar results were found within strata on lifestyle, health, living conditions, and socioeconomic factors, and when excluding individuals dying within the first 5years of follow-up. Levels of the two domains of physical activity did not interact on risk of MACE (P=0.40) or all-cause mortality (P=0.31). Conclusion: Higher leisure time physical activity associates with reduced MACE and all-cause mortality risk, while higher occupational physical activity associates with increased risks, independent of each other.

Automated summary

Leisure time physical activity is associated with reduced risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and all-cause mortality, while occupational physical activity is linked to increased risks, independently of each other. There is no significant interaction between the two domains of physical activity in terms of MACE or all-cause mortality risk.