Changes in leisure time physical activity, obesity-related morbidities, fatal and non-fatal CVD events and total mortality: Over 20-year follow-up in the opera study.

Maintaining regular leisure time physical activity was associated with lower incidence of hypertension, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.

• Study tracked 599 participants over more than 20 years (P1: 1993 to 2014) for morbidities.
• p-values for associations with hypertension, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome were 0.007, <0.001, and <0.001, respectively.
• Participants were categorized into four LTPA groups: 'sedentary,' 'started,' 'quit,' and 'active.'
• Two occupational physical activity groups were also defined: 'office workers' and 'occupationally physically active.'

Non-fatal cardiovascular disease events were more common in the 'quit' LTPA group during the morbidity follow-up period (P1).

• The 'quit' group had significantly higher non-fatal CVD events (p = 0.006, HR 1.99, CI95% 1.22–3.26) during P1.
• This association was especially pronounced among 'occupationally physically active' individuals (p < 0.001, HR 2.29, CI95% 1.23–4.29).
• P1 spanned from 1993 to 2014, a period of over 20 years.

Fatal CVD events during the mortality follow-up period (P2) were associated with belonging to the 'sedentary' LTPA group in the whole study population.

• The association was statistically significant (p = 0.042, HR 2.67, CI95% 1.04–7.03).
• P2 spanned from 2014 to 2021–2022, a follow-up of over 8 years.

Among office workers, both a sedentary lifestyle and stopping regular LTPA were associated with higher risks of fatal CVD events.

• Being in the 'sedentary' group was associated with fatal CVD events among office workers (p = 0.017, HR 5.45, CI95% 1.36–21.91).
• Being in the 'quit' group was also associated with fatal CVD events among office workers (p = 0.025, HR 4.55, CI95% 1.21–17.19).
• These associations were identified during P2 (2014 to 2021–2022).

Among office workers, total mortality was associated with belonging to either the 'sedentary' or 'quit' LTPA groups.

• The 'sedentary' group had significantly higher total mortality (p = 0.029, HR 3.69, CI95% 1.14–11.93).
• The 'quit' group also had significantly higher total mortality (p = 0.009, HR 4.61, CI95% 1.47–14.49).
• These findings were from the P2 mortality follow-up period of over 8 years.

The study examined LTPA changes while accounting for occupational physical activity, a factor not well-documented in prior research.

• The study is part of the OPERA study with 599 participants tracked over two periods: P1 (1993–2014) for morbidities and P2 (2014 to 2021–2022) for mortality.
• Participants were divided into two OPA groups ('office workers' and 'occupationally physically active') to assess interaction with LTPA changes.
• The authors note that 'the impact of changes in leisure time physical activity (LTPA) is not well-documented, especially when considering occupational physical activity (OPA).'