Mean differences in left ventricular measures and resting heart rate associated with intentional exercise for women and men after adjustment for risk factors
| Intentional exercise, MET-min/day | LV ED mass, g/m2 | LV ED volume, ml/m2 | LV ES volume, ml/m2 | LV stroke volume, ml/m2 | LV cardiac output, l/min/m2 | LV ejection fraction, % | LV mass/volume ratio | Resting heart rate, bpm |
| (95% CI) | (95% CI) | (95% CI) | (95% CI) | (95% CI) | (95% CI) | (95% CI) | (95% CI) | |
| Women | ||||||||
| 0 | Reference | Reference | Reference | Reference | Reference | Reference | Reference | Reference |
| 0–90§ Estimate* | −0.59 (−1.88, 0.71) | −0.04 (−1.27 to 1.19) | 0.09 (−0.59 to 0.77) | −0.13 (−1.03 to 0.77) | −0.04 (−0.12 to 0.04) | −0.11 (−0.83 to 0.62) | −0.01 (−0.03 to 0.01) | −0.67 (−1.97 to 0.63) |
| 90–188¶ Estimate | 1.34 (−0.04 to 2.72) | 1.05 (−0.26 to 2.36) | 0.46 (−0.27 to 1.18) | 0.59 (−0.36 to 1.55) | −0.05 (−0.13 to 0.03) | −0.19 (−0.96 to 0.59) | 0.00 (−0.02 to 0.02) | −1.94† (−3.32 to −0.55) |
| 188–364** Estimate | 1.61† (0.24 to 2.99) | 1.83† (0.53 to 3.13) | 0.43 (−0.29 to 1.15) | 1.40† (0.45 to 2.35) | −0.05 (−0.13 to 0.03) | 0.15 (−0.62 to 0.92) | −0.01 (−0.03 to 0.01) | −3.23‡ (−4.61 to −1.84) |
| >364 Estimate | 1.42† (−0.02, 2.86) | 1.67† (0.30 to 3.03) | 0.61 (−0.15 to 1.36) | 1.06† (0.06 to 2.05) | −0.04 (−0.13 to 0.05) | −0.27 (−1.08 to 0.53) | −0.01 (−0.03 to 0.01) | −2.62‡ (−4.07 to −1.18) |
| Men | ||||||||
| 0 | Reference | Reference | Reference | Reference | Reference | Reference | Reference | Reference |
| 0–90 1 Estimate* | −0.34 (−2.31 to 1.63) | 1.43 (−0.46 to 3.31) | 1.09 (−0.05 to 2.22) | 0.34 (−0.89 to 1.58) | −0.03 (−0.13 to 0.07) | −0.62 (−1.56 to 0.33) | −0.04† (−0.07 to −0.00) | −1.46 (−2.97 to 0.04) |
| 90–188 2 Estimate | 0.36 (−1.62 to 2.34) | 1.27 (−0.62 to 3.17) | 0.65 (−0.50 to 1.79) | 0.63 (−0.62 to 1.87) | 0.07 (−0.02 to 0.17) | −0.27 (−1.23 to 0.68) | −0.03 (−0.06 to 0.01) | 0.51 (−1.00 to 2.03) |
| 188–364 3 Estimate | 0.51 (−1.44 to 2.45) | 2.54† (0.68 to 4.41) | 1.00† (−0.12 to 2.12) | 1.54 (0.32 to 2.76) | 0.06 (−0.04 to 0.15) | −0.20 (−1.13 to 0.74) | −0.04† (−0.07 to −0.01) | −1.08 (−2.57 to 0.41) |
| >364 Estimate | 3.10‡ (1.22 to 4.98) | 4.18‡ (2.38 to 5.98) | 1.68 (0.59 to 2.76) | 2.50‡ (1.33 to 3.68) | 0.05 (−0.04 to 0.14) | −0.38 (−1.28 to 0.53) | −0.03 (−0.06 to 0.00) | −2.61‡ (−4.05 to −1.18) |
*Coefficients represent change in left ventricular (LV) measures across intentional exercise categories, having the 0 metabolic equivalent minutes per day (MET-min/day) exercise as reference. Left ventricular parameters were indexed to body surface area except ejection fraction and mass/volume ratio. All models were adjusted for age, race/ethnicity, systolic blood pressure, hypertension medication use, diabetes status, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, lipid-lowering medication use and smoking status. †p⩽0.05; ‡p⩽0.001. §Ninety MET-min/day is equivalent to approximately 30 minutes of walking or 15 minutes of moderate conditioning exercise such as aerobics. ¶One hundred and eighty-eight MET-min/day is equivalent to approximately 1 h of walking or 30 minutes of moderate conditioning exercise such as aerobics. **Three hundred and sixty-four MET-min/day is equivalent to approximately 2 h of walking or 1 h of moderate conditioning exercise such as aerobics. bpm, beats per minute; ED, end-diastolic; ES, end-systolic.