Table 2

Baseline characteristics of study participants by cardiorespiratory fi tness categories, Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study, 1970–2003

Cardiorespiratory fitness categories Low Moderate
LowModerateHighp Value
N3301910111042
Age (mean±SD, years)44.2±9.545.0±9.645.1±9.9<0.0001
Body mass index (mean±SD, kg/m2)28.8±5.026.6±3.324.9±2.6<0.0001
Exercise tolerance (mean±SD, maximal metabolic equivalents8.5±1.310.7±1.213.6±2.0<0.0001
achieved during the treadmill test)
Treadmill test duration (mean±SD, min)11.2±2.715.9±2.522.1±3.6<0.0001
Lipids (mean±SD, mg/dl)
 Total cholesterol218.5±41.2212.1±39.0202.6±37.3<0.0001
 High-density lipoprotein cholesterol40.9±10.844.0±11.049.3±12.2<0.0001
 Triglycerides176.3±129.0144.2 ±104.5106.6±66.7<0.0001
Fasting blood glucose (mean±SD, mg/dl)100.3±10.199.1± 9.697.7±8.9<0.0001
Blood pressure (mean±SD, mm Hg)
 Systolic125±15122±13121±13<0.0001
 Diastolic84±1082±1080±9<0.0001
Physical activity (%)<0.0001
Sedentary63.940.212.6
Walker/jogger/runner19.136.268.4
Sport/fitness17.023.619.0
Smoking status (%)<0.0001
Never smoker40.850.057.6
Past smoker31.032.033.3
Current smoker28.318.09.2
Alcohol consumption (mean±SD, drinks/week)8.8±12.38.4±12.67.6±12.1<0.0001
Hypercholesterolaemia (%)26.921.214.1<0.0001
Hypertension (%)44.033.525.3<0.0001
Family history of diabetes (%)4.55.96.1<0.003
Family history of cardiovascular disease (%)3.94.55.6<0.0001
  • SI conversion factors: To convert total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol values to mmol/l, multiply by 0.0259; triglycerides values to mmol/l, by 0.0113; glucose values to mmol/l, by 0.0555.