Relationships between physical fitness and risk factors for coronary heart disease in men and women.

The aim of the study was to examine the cross-sectional relationships between physical fitness and risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD). Measurements were made of fitness (defined as predicted maximal oxygen uptake), blood pressure, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and glucose in 1500 healthy men and women aged 20 to 65 years. After controlling for the effects of age, physique, smoking, alcohol use and stress, by multiple regression analyses, it was found that fitter men had lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides than less fit men, and fitter women had lower blood pressure than less fit women. However, these fitness/risk factor relationships were seen as weak trends, probably of minor clinical importance. It is emphasised that such cross-sectional data should not be interpreted as support for the popular claim that people who increase their fitness can expect to improve their CHD risk factor status.