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Physical activity offsets some risk for AF in individuals with obesity, overweight
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Physical activity reduced some of the risk for atrial fibrillation in patients with overweight and obesity, according to a study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.
“Those who are obese are at high risk of developing atrial fibrillation,” Lars E. Garnvik, a PhD candidate of the Cardiac Exercise Research Group at Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, Norway, told Cardiology Today. “However, undertaking moderate to high levels of physical activity could be beneficial for this group with regards to AF risk.”
Researchers analyzed data from 43,602 patients (46% men) from the HUNT3 study, which was conducted from 2006 to 2008. Patients were excluded if they had AF before baseline or were underweight.
Questionnaires were completed to collect information on average leisure-time physical activity, which was then used to calculate a physical activity summary score. Patients were then categorized by their score: low, medium and high physical activity.
Other data that were collected include weight, height, BP, alcohol use within the past 2 weeks, current smoking, diabetes, self-reported CVD and occupational status.
Patients were followed up from baseline examination until the first onset of AF or until November 2015, whichever occurred first. Follow-up was conducted for a mean of 8.1 years.
During follow-up, there were 1,459 new cases of AF, which was associated with 4.1 events per 1,000 person-years.
Patients with higher levels of physical activity had a gradually lower risk for AF (P for trend = .061).
Patients with overweight had an 18% increased risk for AF (HR = 1.18; 95% CI, 1.03-1.35), and the risk was increased by 59% in patients with obesity (HR = 1.59; 95% CI, 1.37-1.84).
The risk for AF was attenuated in patients with obesity who participated in higher levels of physical activity compared with those with normal weight who were active (HR = 1.53; 95% CI, 1.03-2.28). Patients with obesity who were not active had an HR of 1.96 (95% CI, 1.44-2.67).
“Clinicians should encourage obese patients to exercise to reduce their risk of AF, in addition to give advice on weight loss and management strategies,” Garnvik said in an interview. – by Darlene Dobkowski
For more information:
Lars E. Garnvik, can be reached at lars.e.garnvik@ntnu.no.
Disclosures: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.
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