Physical Activity, Metabolic Factors, and the Incidence of Coronary Heart Disease and Type 2 Diabetes

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Abstract
IT IS WELL ESTABLISHED that regular physical activity in leisure time is independently associated with a reduction in the risk of major coronary heart disease (CHD) events1,2 and type 2 diabetes.3-7 Many mechanisms have been invoked to explain the relationships, including effects on insulin sensitivity, lipoprotein metabolism, blood pressure, fibrinolytic activity, and hemostatic function.8 Most studies have shown the associations between physical activity and CHD and type 2 diabetes to be independent of cardiovascular risk factors, including blood pressure, blood lipid levels (total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein [HDL] cholesterol), and blood glucose level.1-7