Table 2

Total days, severity score and symptom score for URTI over 12 weeks across physical fitness and exercise frequency tertiles

Physical fitness tertile
Low (N=341)Medium (N=311)High (N=350)p For trend; FDR p value
URTI, total days8.18 (6.81 to 9.67)4.95* (3.89 to 6.13)4.41* (3.44 to 5.49)<0.001; <0.001
URTI severity score16.1 (13.2 to 19.4)11.2* (8.6 to 14.0)11.0* (8.7 to 13.7)0.006; 0.006
URTI symptom score88.2 (71.0 to 107)59.4* (44.9 to 76.0)58.2* (44.7 to 73.4)0.005; 0.006
Exercise frequency tertile
Low <1 day/week (N=214)Medium 1–4 days/week (N=573)High ≥5 days/week (N=215)p For trend; FDR p value
URTI, total days8.60 (6.91 to 10.5)5.46* (4.52 to 6.50)4.89* (3.62 to 6.35)<0.001; 0.002
URTI severity score18.2 (14.5 to 22.3)11.5* (9.47 to 13.8)10.7* (7.91 to 13.9)0.001; 0.003
URTI symptom score93.9 (72.8 to 118)63.7* (51.6 to 77.1)55.0* (39.4 to 73.2)0.003; 0.006
  • Data are presented as least square means (95% CIs) after adjustment for age, education level marital status, sex, stress level, body mass index and fruit intake.

  • * p<0.05 compared to the low fitness or exercise frequency tertile.

  • FDR, false discovery rate; URTI, upper respiratory tract infection.