Recent observations in this prospective study of some 57,500 Harvard and University of Pennsylvania alumni(ae) have shown that the habits of increasing levels of physical activity, taking up moderately vigorous sports play, quitting cigarette smoking, remaining normotensive, and avoiding obesity, independently reduced the risk of developing coronary heart disease (CHD) and promoted survival. The proposed continuation of study will have two major aims: 1) to refine and extend observations on continuity and change in physical activity for relation to cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality, to functional capacity and quality of life, and to longevity; and 2) to direct special emphasis to the type, intensity, duration, and timing of exercise that distinguish the effects of light, moderate, and vigorous activities on health. In accomplishing these aims, confounding, interaction, and trends of relations with personal characteristics and other health habits will be taken into account. Resources for study include: 1) college student data of 1916-1950 collected from health, social, and athletic records; 2) contemporary alumni(ae) data collected on eight occasions, 1962-1993, by mail questionnaires pertaining to physician-diagnosed disease, physical exercise, cigarette smoking, body size and shape, diet, alcohol consumption, other life way elements, and family disease patterns; and 3) annual cause-specific mortality certification, 1916-1998. Anticipated deaths (1989-1998) from CHD will approximate 5,500; from stroke, 1,000; and from all causes, 14,500. Non-fatal CHD and stroke events will increase these already large numbers substantially. Using both prior and redefined definitions of physical activity, the investigators will direct attention to continued and altered exercise patterns, both increases and decreases in energy expenditure, between the 1960s and 70s, between the 70s and 80s, and between the 80s and 90s for relation through 1998 to incidence of non-fatal and fatal CVD, and to quality-adjusted years of life remaining. Statistical power to detect relations between exercise and CVD will be considerable for alumni, although weak for alumnae. Thus, the investigators state that projected observations should show whether and how a shift in specific ways-of-living by men in mid-life influence CVD incidence and survival. They also state that observations should clarify the relative importance of light, moderate, and vigorous physical activities (total vs. gradations of exercise intensity) in protecting against CVD and in increasing longevity.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01HL034174-11
Application #
2735094
Study Section
Epidemiology and Disease Control Subcommittee 2 (EDC)
Project Start
1988-07-01
Project End
2000-06-30
Budget Start
1998-07-01
Budget End
2000-06-30
Support Year
11
Fiscal Year
1998
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Stanford University
Department
Miscellaneous
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
800771545
City
Stanford
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
94305
Lee, I M; Sesso, H D; Paffenbarger Jr, R S (2001) A prospective cohort study of physical activity and body size in relation to prostate cancer risk (United States). Cancer Causes Control 12:187-93
Sesso, H D; Paffenbarger Jr, R S; Lee, I M (2001) Alcohol consumption and risk of prostate cancer: The Harvard Alumni Health Study. Int J Epidemiol 30:749-55
Sesso, H D; Paffenbarger, R S; Lee, I M (2000) Comparison of National Death Index and World Wide Web death searches. Am J Epidemiol 152:107-11
Sesso, H D; Paffenbarger Jr, R S; Lee, I M (2000) Physical activity and coronary heart disease in men: The Harvard Alumni Health Study. Circulation 102:975-80
Lee, I M; Paffenbarger Jr, R S (2000) Associations of light, moderate, and vigorous intensity physical activity with longevity. The Harvard Alumni Health Study. Am J Epidemiol 151:293-9
Lee, I M; Sesso, H D; Paffenbarger Jr, R S (2000) Physical activity and coronary heart disease risk in men: does the duration of exercise episodes predict risk? Circulation 102:981-6
Lee, I M; Sesso, H D; Paffenbarger Jr, R S (1999) Physical activity and risk of lung cancer. Int J Epidemiol 28:620-5
Sesso, H D; Paffenbarger, R S; Ha, T et al. (1999) Physical activity and cardiovascular disease risk in middle-aged and older women. Am J Epidemiol 150:408-16
Cole, S R; Kawachi, I; Sesso, H D et al. (1999) Sense of exhaustion and coronary heart disease among college alumni. Am J Cardiol 84:1401-5
Sahi, T; Paffenbarger Jr, R S; Hsieh, C C et al. (1998) Body mass index, cigarette smoking, and other characteristics as predictors of self-reported, physician-diagnosed gallbladder disease in male college alumni. Am J Epidemiol 147:644-51

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