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Leisure-time physical activity and regular walking or cycling to work are associated with adiposity and 5 y weight gain in middle-aged men: the PRIME Study

International Journal of Obesity volume 25, pages 940–948 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To examine the influence of physical activity on body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (W) and body mass changes (ΔBMI) in middle-aged men, with special regard to moderate-intensity activities.

DESIGN: Longitudinal study of adults who participated in the PRIME Study.

SUBJECTS: A cohort of 8865 men aged 50–59 y, free of coronary heart disease.

MEASUREMENTS: BMI and W at baseline, body mass changes over a 5 y period. Detailed baseline assessment of net energy expenditure due to physical activity (PAE) in the preceding year, according to category of activity, by means of the MOSPA Questionnaire. PAE was expressed in weekly metabolic equivalent scores (MET h/week).

RESULTS: After adjustment for confounders, the multiple regression analyses indicated that BMI, W and ΔBMI were inversely associated with PAE spent in getting to work (P<10−5, <10−5 and 0.04, respectively) and practice of high-intensity (≥6 MET) recreational activities (<0.01, <10−5 and <0.01). Men who regularly spent more than 10 MET h/week in walking or cycling to work had a mean BMI, W and ΔBMI respectively 0.3 kg/m2, 1 cm and 0.06 kg/m2 lower than those who did not expend energy in getting to work. In the subgroup of subjects who did not perform high-intensity activities, the level of recreational PAE was inversely associated with BMI and W but not with subsequent weight-gain.

CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that, in middle-aged men, physical activities of moderate-intensity, which are probably easier to promote than more vigorous activities and, in particular, a more current daily activity, walking or cycling to work, may have a favourable effect on body fat markers and body mass gain.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the following organisations which allowed the recruitment of the PRIME subjects: the Health Screening Centre organised by the Social Security of Lille (Institut Pasteur), Strasbourg, Toulouse and Tourcoing; Occupational Medicine Services of Haute Garonne, of the Urban Community of Strasbourg, the Association Inter-entreprises des services médicaux du travail de Lille et environs, the Comité pour le développement de la médecine du travail; the Mutuelle Générale des PTT du Bas-Rhin, the Department of Health and Social Services, Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke Association. The PRIME Study is organised under an agreement between INSERM and the Merck, Sharpe and Dohme-Chibret laboratory, with the following participating laboratories: the Strasbourg MONICA Project, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Strasbourg, France (D Arveiler, B Haas); the Toulouse MONICA Project, INSERM U518, Department of Epidemiology, Paul Sabatier, Toulouse Purpan University, France (J Ferrières, JB Ruidavets); the Lille MONICA Project, INSERM U508, Pasteur Institute, Lille, France (P Amouyel, M Montaye), the Departments of Epidemiology and Public Health, Medicine and Psychology, the Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland (A Evans, J Yarnell, D McMaster, D Sykes); the Department of Atherosclerosis, SERLIA-INSERM U325, Lille, France (G Luc, JM Bard, JC Fruchart); the Laboratory of Haematology, La Timone Hospital, Marseilles, France (I Juhan-Vague); the Laboratory of Endocrinology, INSERM U326, Toulouse, France (B Perret); the Vitamin Research Unit, The University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland (F Gey); the DNA Bank, INSERM U525/SC7, Paris, France (F Cambien); the Coordinating Centre, INSERM U258, Paris, France (P Ducimetière, PY Scarabin, A Bingham).

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Author notes

  1. D Arveiler: On Behalf of the PRIME Study Group.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique, Faculté de Médecine, Strasbourg, France

    A Wagner, G Hedelin & D Arveiler

  2. Groupe d'Etudes et de Recherche en Nutrition, Hôpitaux Universitaires, Strasbourg, France

    C Simon

  3. INSERM U258, Hôpital Paul Brousse, Villejuif, France

    P Ducimetière & A Bingham

  4. INSERM U508, Institut Pasteur, Lille, France

    M Montaye & P Amouyel

  5. Département d'Epidémiologie, INSERM U518, Faculté de Médecine, Toulouse, France

    V Bongard & J Ferrières

  6. Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK

    J Yarnell & A Evans

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  1. A Wagner
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Correspondence to C Simon.

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Wagner, A., Simon, C., Ducimetière, P. et al. Leisure-time physical activity and regular walking or cycling to work are associated with adiposity and 5 y weight gain in middle-aged men: the PRIME Study. Int J Obes 25, 940–948 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0801635

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Keywords

  • physical activity
  • body mass index
  • waist circumference
  • body mass gain
  • middle-aged men
  • cohort study

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