Maintaining a high physical activity level over 20 years and weight gain.

ABSTRACT:

Context

Data supporting physical activity guidelines to prevent long-term weight gain are sparse, particularly during the period when the highest risk of weight gain occurs.

Objective

To evaluate the relationship between habitual activity levels and changes in body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference over 20 years.

Design, setting, and participants

The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study is a prospective longitudinal study with 20 years of follow-up, 1985-1986 to 2005-2006. Habitual activity was defined as maintaining high, moderate, and low activity levels based on sex-specific tertiles of activity scores at baseline. Participants comprised a population-based multicenter cohort (Chicago, Illinois; Birmingham, Alabama; Minneapolis, Min

SUBMITTER: Hankinson AL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3864556 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature