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Former male elite athletes have better metabolic health in late life than their controls
Author(s) -
Laine M. K.,
Eriksson J. G.,
Kujala U. M.,
Kaprio J.,
Loo B.M.,
Sundvall J.,
Bäckmand H. M.,
Peltonen M.,
Jula A.,
Sarna S.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of medicine and science in sports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.575
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1600-0838
pISSN - 0905-7188
DOI - 10.1111/sms.12442
Subject(s) - medicine , nonalcoholic fatty liver disease , metabolic syndrome , odds ratio , athletes , confidence interval , elite athletes , endocrinology , physical therapy , obesity , disease , fatty liver
Elite‐class athletes have longer life expectancy and lower risk for chronic noncommunicable diseases possibly because of physically active and healthier lifestyle. In this study, we assessed former male F innish elite‐class athletes’ ( n = 392) and their matched controls’ ( n = 207) body composition, and risk for the metabolic syndrome ( MS ) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease ( NAFLD ) in later life. Compared with the controls, the former athletes had lower body fat percentage (24.8% vs 26.0%, P = 0.021), lower risk for MS [odds ratio ( OR ) 0.57, 95% confidence interval ( CI ) 0.40–0.81], and NAFLD ( OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.42–0.88). High volume of current leisure‐time physical activity ( LTPA ) was associated with lower body fat percentage ( P for trend < 0.001). When current volume of LTPA increased 1 MET h/week, the risk of MS and NAFLD decreased ( OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.98–0.99 and OR 0.97, 95% CI 0.96–0.98, respectively). Although a career as an elite‐class athlete during young adulthood may help to protect from developing metabolic syndrome, present exercise levels and volume of LTPA seem equally important as well.