Men who maintained high levels of physical fitness in their youth had a significantly reduced risk of developing atherosclerosis nearly four decades later, according to research conducted by a team from Linköping University in Sweden. This study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, highlights the role of atherosclerosis as a key factor in the relationship between physical fitness and the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Pontus Henriksson, the senior associate professor at the Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences at Linköping University and a leading figure in the study, emphasized the lasting impact of physical fitness on health outcomes well into later life. He expressed concern over current trends indicating a decline in the physical fitness of today’s youth compared to the levels observed in the 1970s and 80s, which makes these findings particularly significant for the current generation.
While it is acknowledged that a lack of physical fitness in early life is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases later on, the specific mechanisms underlying this association have remained unclear. Given that atherosclerosis, characterized by plaque buildup within the arteries, is a known risk factor for future cardiovascular issues, the research team aimed to explore the potential link between physical fitness during adolescence and atherosclerosis in later life. This connection would help clarify atherosclerosis as a plausible mechanism linking physical fitness to cardiovascular disease.
Leveraging data from the Swedish Military Conscription Register and the Swedish Cardiopulmonary Bioimage Study (SCAPIS), the researchers examined nearly 9,000 men aged between 50 and 64 years, for whom fitness data from their conscription at age 18 (between 1972 and 1987) were available. The long-term follow-up of these men, averaging 38 years, and the general population basis of the study are among its strengths.
For the first time, the study employed coronary CT angiography (CCTA) to assess the presence of plaques in the coronary arteries, vital for supplying blood to the heart, concerning physical fitness in youth. This advanced imaging technique allowed the researchers to evaluate calcified plaques, which are more straightforward to measure and have been a traditional focus of study, and examine non-calcified plaques. These latter plaques are deemed more dangerous as they are more prone to rupture, leading to heart attacks, and generally have a worse prognosis.
The findings revealed that both cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength in youth are associated with a lower risk of developing atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries nearly four decades later. The research also extended to examining atherosclerosis in the major arteries leading from the heart to the brain using ultrasound technology.
Due to the historical context in which only men were required to perform military service in Sweden, the study’s insights are confined to men. Consequently, it is impossible to extend these conclusions to women based on this research alone.
The study received funding from several sources, including the Heart-Lung Foundation, the prominent financier of SCAPIS, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, the Swedish Research Council, Vinnova, and the Joanna Cocozza Foundation for Children’s Medical Research. The research also benefited from the contributions of other scholars from Linköping University, including Karin Rådholm, Carl Johan Östgren, Kristofer Hedman, and Sara Higueras-Fresnillo. This collaborative effort underscores the importance of physical fitness in youth as a determinant of cardiovascular health later in life, highlighting the need for strategies to improve physical fitness among the younger population to mitigate future health risks.
More information: Ángel Herraiz-Adillo et al, Physical fitness in male adolescents and atherosclerosis in middle age: a population-based cohort study, British Journal of Sports Medicine. DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2023-107663
Journal information: British Journal of Sports Medicine Provided by Linköping University
