1. Physical activity and longevity The Copenhagen City Heart Study Peter Schnohr MD, FAAC

2. Mortality in joggers
”Mortality in joggers: Population based study of 4568 men”
BMJ 2000;321:602
Peter Schnohr, Jan Parner, Peter Lange

3. Are you a jogger? Deaths 1976-78 1981-83 30% (1297 / 4335) No No 5%
(follow up 22 yrs.)
30%
(1297 / 4335) No No 5%
(5 / 96)
Yes
Yes

4. Are you a jogger? 1976-78 1981-83 Relative risk of death No 1 Yes
0,39 (p=0,005)
Confounders:
Age, diabetes, smoking, education, income, blood pressure, alcohol, cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and body mass index

5. Physical activity and longevity Relative risk of death in 7
Physical activity and longevity Relative risk of death in men and women, age 20-79, followed for 17 yrs, deaths og
Men
Women
Relative risk
Gained life years
Relative risk
Gained life years
Low
< 2 hrs. per week 1 - 1 -
Peter Schnohr, Henrik Scharling, Jan Skov Jensen. Am J Epidemiol 2003;158:
2-4 hrs. per week
0,71
3,5
0,64
4,4
Moderate
High
> 4 hrs. per week
0,61
5,0
0,66
4,3

6. Changes in physical activity and longevity in young, middle-aged and older Relative risk of death in men and women, age 20-79, followed 17 yrs
Men
Women
Gained life years
Relative risk
Gained life years
Relative risk
Moderate/high
Age
Low
Low
Moderate/high
20-54 - - 1
0,67 1
0,67
55-64 - - 1
0,78 1
0,80
65-79 1
0,46
4,4 1
0,67
3,4

7. Joggers 1976 to 2003 (%) 1976 1981 1991 2001 % 20-24 women 20-24 men80 70
1976
1981 60
1991 50
2001 % 40 30 20 10
20-24 women
20-24 men
50-54 women
50-54 men
70-74 women
70-74 men

8. Messages on physical activity
4 hrs of brisk walking per week prolongues life by 4 to 5 years
Joggers prolongues life even more
It is never too late to start physical exercise
We still do not know the most optimal:
Duration – frequency – intensity of physical activity.
The Copenhagen City Heart Study will answer those questions in a near future.