Aims: To determine joint associations of different kinds of physical activity and the Framingham risk score (FRS) with the 10-year risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) events.
Methods and results: Study cohorts included 41 053 Finnish participants aged 25-64 years without history of CHD and stroke. The multivariable-adjusted 10-year hazard ratios (HRs) of coronary events associated with low, moderate, and high occupational physical activity were 1.00, 0.66, and 0.74 (Ptrend<0.001) for men, and 1.00, 0.53, and 0.58 (Ptrend<0.001) for women, respectively. The multivariable-adjusted 10-year HRs of coronary events associated with low, moderate, and high leisure-time physical activity were 1.00, 0.97, and 0.66 (Ptrend=0.002) for men, and 1.00, 0.74, and 0.54 (Ptrend=0.003) for women, respectively. Active commuting had a significant inverse association with 10-year risk of coronary events in women only. The FRS predicted 10-year risk of coronary events among both men and women. The protective effects of occupational, commuting, or leisure-time physical activity were consistent in subjects with a very low (<6%), low (6-9%), intermediate (10-19%), or high (>or=20%) risk of the FRS.
Conclusion: Moderate or high levels of occupational or leisure-time physical activity among both men and women, and daily walking or cycling to and from work among women are associated with a reduced 10-year risk of CHD events. These favourable effects of physical activity on CHD risk are observed at all levels of CHD risk based on FRS assessment.