Author(s): XU, D., SHEN, S., SOMEYA, Y., KOHMURA, Y., FUKU, N., SUZUKI, K., Institution: JUNTENDO UNIVERSITY, Country: JAPAN, Abstract-ID: 709

INTRODUCTION:
Obesity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and various chronic diseases Previous research has demonstrated that physical activity during youth plays a significant role in maintaining health including psychological and cardiovascular functions into adulthood. However, there is currently a lack of systematic evidence regarding how participation in university sports clubs with varying cardiovascular intensity affects the risk of developing obesity decades after graduation, particularly during middle and older age. This university period represents a critical transition from student life to professional careers. Further investigation is needed into how the specific organizational structures of sports clubs and their respective exercise intensities contribute to the long-term suppression of Body Mass Index (BMI) increases. This study examined the relationship between participation in different sport disciplines during university and the risk of obesity in middle and older age among male graduates of a faculty of sports.
METHODS:
This study included 2,148 graduates of a faculty of sports (graduating between 1969 and 2018). Data were collected through a self-administered, mail in questionnaire. Obesity risk was defined as a BMI ≥25 kg/m2 (overweight and obesity) according to the WHO criteria. University clubs were classified into three groups of cardiovascular intensity (low, moderate, high), following the classification system of sport disciplines by the American College of Cardiology. This classification considers the static and dynamic components of an activity, which correspond to the estimated percent of maximal voluntary contraction reached and maximal oxygen uptake achieved, respectively. Statistical analysis was performed using the Cox proportional hazards model to examine the association between sports club intensity and obesity risk, adjusted for university-era BMI, age at the time of the survey, MVPA, smoking status, and alcohol consumption.
RESULTS:
The study participants were middle-aged and older men, with a mean follow up period of 33.1±7.6 years. After data screening, 778 individuals with university-era sports club experience were included in the analysis (mean age: 55.1±7.7 years; 666 middle-aged [85.6%] and 112 older participants [14.4%]). Among all respondents, 250 (32.1%) were categorized as overweight or obese. Adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals associated with the low, moderate, and high cardiovascular intensity sports were 1.00 (reference), 0.62(0.43 to 0.88, P=0.007) and 0.71(0.46 to 1.09, P=0.120) in middle-aged man, respectively.
CONCLUSION:
Participation in university sports clubs with moderate cardiovascular intensity was shown to significantly reduce the risk of obesity during middle age, even several decades after graduation. These findings suggest that the intensity of physical activity during the transition from youth to adulthood may have long-lasting protective effects against obesity in later life.