Physical Activity Has Favorable Effects On Cardiovascular Risk Factors And Arterial Stiffness: Insights From Corinthia Study

Introduction: Arterial stiffness significantly contributes to atherosclerosis progression and adversely affect cardiovascular prognosis Hypothesis: Increased physical activity (PA) may attenuate the impact of several risk factors on arterial stiffness. Methods: In the context of the ongoing Corinthia study 772 subjects (407 males, aged 30-98 years) were assessed. We evaluated PA using the self-reported International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and we calculated totals METS for each participant. Overally, the study sample was divided into three groups according to the score achieved in IPAQ : low PA ( 2500 MET/min/week, n=363).Patients with established cardiovascular disease were excluded. Results: Subjects on vigorous compared to moderate and low PA were younger (62±12y vs. 62±12y vs. 65±11y, p=0.03), had lower frequency of hypertension (40% vs. 37% vs 52%, p=0.03), diabetes mellitus (DM) (13% vs. 20% vs 23%...