Effects of Self-Monitored Jogging on Physical Fitness, Blood Pressure and Serum Lipids: A Controlled Study in Sedentary Middle-Aged Men

Abstract

To study the effects of long-term, home-based exercise on physical fitness and cardiovascular risk factors of middle-aged nonsmoking males, a controlled study was conducted in 61 sedentary Swiss men. Thirty-nine men were randomly allocated to jog 2 h/week for 4 months on an individually prescribed and heart-rate-controlled basis, whereas 22 men served as controls. Despite varying adherence to the exercise regimen, the 4-month net change (effect in exercise group minus effect in control group) in estimated endurance capacity was significant and positive. Net changes in arterial blood pressure, measured with a random-zero device, were nonsignificant, but after exclusion of low-normotensive men (n = 19) from analysis, a significant net effect of exercise on diastolic blood pressure was seen (- 4.3 mmHg; p = .048).

The following net changes in serum lipid levels occurred: HDL cholesterol +0.12 mmol/l (p = .028), total triglycerides - 0.21 mmol/l (ns), HDL-C/total cholesterol ratio + 0.02 (p = .047). Exploratory analyses revealed that an increase in estimated endurance capacity was associated with a rise in systolic and diastolic blood pressure (r = 0.49 and 0.43, respectively; p < 0.01 both). Changes in the waist-hip ratio were directly related to the change in diastolic blood pressure (r = 0.27; p < 0.05). Multivariable analysis indicated that much of the beneficial effect of exercise on diastolic blood pressure was apparently mediated through a decrease in body fat. This study confirms that individually prescribed jogging can reduce cardiovascular risk factors in self-selected nonsmoking males. Hereby, an increase in endurance capacity seems not to be a prerequisite for the lowering effect of exercise on cardiovascular risk: rather, exercise-related changes in body fat content are effective.

Key words

Physical training - body composition - blood pressure - serum cholesterol - cardiovascular risk factors - prevention