Leisure-time cross-country skiing is associated with lower incidence of hypertension : a prospective cohort study

Abstract

<div lang="en" class="abs"><p class="abs_header">Abstract</p><p><em>Objective:</em> The prospective relationship between cross-country skiing and hypertension is uncertain. We aimed to assess the associations of leisure time cross-country skiing habits with incident hypertension in a general population.</p><p><em>Methods:</em> The frequency, average duration, and intensity of leisure cross-country skiing were assessed at baseline using a 12-month physical activity questionnaire in the Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease prospective study of 1809 middle-aged men without hypertension. Hazard ratios [95% confidence intervals (CIs)] were calculated.</p><p><em>Results:</em> New onset diagnosis of hypertension was observed in 279 participants during a median (interquartile range) follow-up of 24.7 (18.1–26.8) years. Total volume and duration of cross-country skiing were continuously associated with hypertension risk. In analyses adjusted for hypertension risk factors, when compared with men with no cross-country skiing activity, the hazard ratios (95% CIs) of incident hypertension were 0.75 (0.57–0.99) and 0.57 (0.41–0.79) for men who did 1–200 and more than 200 MET hours/year of cross-country skiing, respectively. Compared with men with no cross-country skiing activity, the corresponding adjusted hazard ratios (95% CIs) for incident hypertension were 0.72 (0.55–0.94) and 0.62 (0.44–0.86) for men who did 1–60 min/week and more than 60 min/week of cross-country skiing, respectively. In subsidiary analyses, there were age-adjusted associations of cross-country skiing habits with risk of stroke and acute coronary events, but these were attenuated on further adjustment for several confounders. Cross-country skiing habits were associated with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.</p><p><em>Conclusion:</em> Total volume as well as duration of leisure time cross-country skiing are each continuously, inversely, and independently associated with future risk of hypertension in a white male population.</p></div>