HealthProtocols
← All sources

Association of Leisure Time Physical Activity Types and Risks of All-Cause, Cardiovascular, and Cancer Mortality Among Older Adults

NIH-AARP cohort analysis (n=272,550; ~12.4 y follow-up): at equivalent moderate activity dose (7.5 to <15 MET-h/wk), racquet sports and running showed the largest multivariable-adjusted reductions in all-cause mortality versus non-participants; walking for exercise and other aerobic modalities also associated with lower risk.

Design

  • Cohort: NIH-AARP Diet and Health respondents completing the 2004–2005 activity questionnaire
  • n = 272 550; 118 153 deaths by 31 Dec 2019 (mean follow-up ~12.4 y)
  • Exposure: MET-hours/week for running, cycling, swimming, other aerobic, racquet sports, golf, walking for exercise
  • Contrast window: 7.5 to <15 MET-h/week of a given type vs non-participation in that type
  • Models: multivariable-adjusted Cox HRs for all-cause, CVD, and cancer mortality

All-cause mortality (7.5–<15 MET-h/wk vs none; abstract HRs)

  • Racquet sports: HR 0.84 (95% CI 0.75–0.93)
  • Running: HR 0.85 (0.78–0.92)
  • Walking for exercise: HR 0.91 (0.89–0.93)
  • Other aerobic: HR 0.93 (0.90–0.95)
  • Golf: HR 0.93 (0.90–0.97)
  • Swimming: HR 0.95 (0.92–0.98)
  • Cycling: HR 0.97 (0.95–0.99)

Evidence hygiene

Observational activity-type preferences confounded by fitness, SES, and injury survivorship—HRs are not proof that promoting racquets to sedentary adults reproduces causal gains without behaviour change support.

Publication

Watts EL, Steckling N, Jensen BK, et al. JAMA Netw Open. 2022 Aug 1;5(8):e2228510. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.28510. PMID 36001316.

Outcomes

  • All-Cause Mortality Risk
    Events: /
  • All-Cause Mortality Risk
    Events: /
  • All-Cause Mortality Risk
    Events: /
View original paper →