Leisure Time Physical Activity and Cardio-Metabolic Health: Results From the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil).

BACKGROUND: Although increasing effort has been devoted to the promotion of a healthy lifestyle such as leisure time physical activity for cardio-metabolic health, specific evidence supporting health policy remains sparse, particularly in those ethnically diverse populations where cardio-metabolic diseases are reaching epidemic proportion and yet are grossly understudied. METHODS AND RESULTS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the baseline data from 10 585 participants aged 35 to 74 free of cardiovascular diseases in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health. Leisure time physical activity status was defined by the American Heart Association and the World Health Organization recommendations (≥150 min/week moderate activities or 75 min/week vigorous activities). In total, 1183 (21%) women and 1387 (29%) men were active. After accounting for covariates, the favorable effects of leisure time physical activity on cardio-metabolic parameters were evident. Specifically, the average blood pressure, heart rate, and Framingham Risk Score for cardiovascular diseases of the active were significantly lower within each sex. The ORs comparing the active versus the inactive women were 0.78 (95% CI: 0.66-0.92) for hypertension and 0.78 (95% CI: 0.65-0.93) for cardiovascular diseases in 10 years. Among men, the ORs were 0.75 (95% CI: 0.65-0.87) for hypertension and 0.73 (95% CI: 0.61-0.87) for diabetes. The 10-year risk of cardiovascular diseases was significantly lower among the active men with a 33% reduction (OR=0.67, 95% CI: 0.57-0.78). CONCLUSIONS: We observed beneficial effects of leisure time physical activity on cardio-metabolic health in this large Brazilian population that are consistent with studies in North America and Europe.

Prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in Brazil: Baseline of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil).

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Dyslipidemia is a pivotal risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD). The purpose of this study was to identify the profile of dyslipidemia in a Brazilian population, according to high low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) levels. We used the classification of the 2004 update of National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP-III). METHODS: Of the 15,105 men and women aged 35 to 74 years enrolled in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil), we included 14,648 subjects (97%). They had data to categorize them according to the NCEP-ATP-III criteria. We compared 4 categories: "0-1" risk factors, "2 or more risk factors", "CHD or CHD risk equivalent", and "CHD at very high risk". The sociodemographic determinants used were sex, age, ethnicity, income, education, and health insurance. Poisson regression was used to estimate the prevalence ratios for cholesterol (LDL-C), frequency, awareness, treatment, and control of high LDL-C. RESULTS: The frequencies of high LDL-C, awareness, treatment, and control were 45.5%, 58.1%, 42.3%, and 58.3%, respectively. After adjustment for sociodemographic determinants, the prevalence ratios for high LDL-C were significantly higher for men, blacks, older subjects, and subjects with lower levels of education. Low frequency of awareness, treatment, and uncontrolled values of LDL-C was observed among men, mixed race and blacks, poorer, less educated, and those who did not have private health insurance. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of high LDL-C was elevated in this Brazilian population, with low rates of awareness, treatment and control, and remarkable socioeconomic disparity.

Glucose and triglyceride excursions following a standardized meal in individuals with diabetes: ELSA-Brasil study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess glucose and triglyceride excursions 2 hours after the ingestion of a standardized meal and their associations with clinical characteristics and cardiovascular complications in individuals with diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Blood samples of 898 subjects with diabetes were collected at fasting and 2 hours after a meal containing 455 kcal, 14 g of saturated fat and 47 g of carbohydrates. Self-reported morbidity, socio-demographic characteristics and clinical measures were obtained by interview and exams performed at the baseline visit of the ELSA-Brasil cohort study. RESULTS: Median (interquartile range, IQR) for fasting glucose was 150.5 (123-198) mg/dL and for fasting triglycerides 140 (103-199) mg/dL. The median excursion for glucose was 45 (15-76) mg/dL and for triglycerides 26 (11-45) mg/dL. In multiple linear regression, a greater glucose excursion was associated with higher glycated hemoglobin (10.7, 95% CI 9.1-12.3 mg/dL), duration of diabetes (4.5; 2.6-6.4 mg/dL, per 5 year increase), insulin use (44.4; 31.7-57.1 mg/dL), and age (6.1; 2.5-9.6 mg/dL, per 10 year increase); and with lower body mass index (-5.6; -8.4- -2.8 mg/dL, per 5 kg/m2 increase). In adjusted logistic regression models, a greater glucose excursion was marginally associated with the presence of cardiovascular comorbidities (coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction and angina) in those with obesity. CONCLUSIONS: A greater postprandial glycemic response to a small meal was positively associated with indicators of a decreased capacity for insulin secretion and negatively associated with obesity. No pattern of response was observed with a greater postprandial triglyceride excursion.