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Exercise may help prevent cardiovascular disease in smokers

Smokers who partake in moderate to high cardiorespiratory fitness have a reduced chance of developing metabolic syndrome and other cardiorespiratory disease risk factors, according to a recently published study.

“Greater [cardiorespiratory fitness] may attenuate some of the negative health effects when cessation is unlikely…Those who smoke and are not ready or able to quit may benefit from engaging in physical activity in an effort to increase [cardiorespiratory fitness]” Darla Kendzor, PhD, of the Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Science, UTHealth School of Public Health Dallas Regional Campus, and colleagues, wrote.

Darla Kendzor

Researchers evaluated 1,249 participants who visited medical centers at Cooper Clinic, at least twice, between 1979 and 2011, to analyze the correlation between fitness and metabolic syndrome in adult smokers.  Participants were primarily overweight men (mean BMI = 25.2; mean age = 42.1 years), with normal triglyceride and glucose levels, at baseline.

Results demonstrated that an increase in fitness was associated with significantly lowered risk and rate of metabolic syndrome (P < .05), abnormal high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P < .05) and fasting glucose levels (P < .05).

Participants with the highest levels of fitness had a 48% less chance of developing metabolic syndrome compared with participants with the lowest fitness levels (HR = 0.52; 95% CI, 0.37-0.74).

“While study findings emphasize that fitness plays a protective role against cardiovascular disease even among smokers, the research emphasizes the importance of quitting smoking to decrease the overall risk of morbidity or mortality,” Kendzor said in a press release. – by Casey Hower

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.