ABSTRACT
We completed a cross-sectional study of 1,608 Thai participants (536 men and 1,072 women) receiving annual health check-ups to evaluate the relation between physical activity levels and fasting serum concentrations of total cholesterol (TCH), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), and the total cholesterol: high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (TCH:HDL-C) ratio. Physical activity levels were assessed using a self-administered questionnaire administered at the time of blood collection. After controlling for confounders, men who reported high physical activity levels had on average a 3.42 mg/dl higher (p = 0.020) in HDL-C concentrations, when compared to men who reported low physical activity levels. Higher mean HDL-C concentrations were also observed for women who reported high physical activity levels, when compared with their less active counterparts (4.24 mg/dl, p = 0.004). TG concentrations were 30.92 mg/dl lower in men (p = 0.029) and 12.83 mg/dl lower in women (p = 0.003) who had high physical activity levels when compared with less active individuals. Men who reported high physical activity levels, compared with those who reported low physical activity levels, had a 59% reduction in risk for hypertriglyceridemia (OR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.24-0.70). The corresponding OR for women was 0.43 (95% CI: 0.21-0.88). No association was found between physical activity levels and TCH concentrations. Overall, these data suggest that habitually active men and women are less likely to have hypertriglyceridemia and low HDL-C concentrations. The favorable effects of physical activity on lipid and lipoprotein concentrations are consistent with the evidence documenting the cardiovascular health benefits of physically active lifestyles.