Mediterranean diet, physical activity and their combined effect on all-cause mortality: The Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra (SUN) cohort.

The health benefits of the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) and of physical activity (PA) have been widely documented. However, no longitudinal studies have investigated their combined effect on mortality. We assessed the individual and combined effects of adherence to the MedDiet and PA on all-cause mortality. We used data from 19,467 participants from a prospective cohort of Spanish university graduates, the SUN cohort, followed-up between December 1999 and February 2016. Adherence to the MedDiet was assessed using four different dietary scores, categorizing the quantitative scores into tertiles of adherence. To assess multiple dimensions of PA, an 8-item score was built. Multivariable Cox regression models were used to study the individual and combined relationship of adherence to the MedDiet and PA with all-cause mortality. During a median follow-up of 10.3years, we registered 305 deaths. Compared with the lowest adherence to the MedDiet (<20 in the modified Mediterranean diet score), better adherence (23-30 points) was associated with lower mortality (multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio [HR]=0.66, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.46-0.96). Engaging in moderate or high levels of PA (versus lower levels) was associated with 44% and 52% relative reductions in mortality, respectively. High adherence to the MedDiet combined with engaging in higher amounts of PA showed a HR=0.36 (95% CI: 0.19-0.67). We documented that the combined effect of better adherence to the MedDiet and increased PA had multiplicative effects on mortality risk reduction.

Physical Activity Intensity and Cardiovascular Disease Prevention-From the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra Study.

The association between the intensity of physical activity and the incidence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), irrespective of energy expenditure (EE), requires further study. Our objective is to examine this relationship using data from a large Spanish cohort. The Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra cohort is formed of university graduates recruited from March 1999 to October 2015. We included 18,737 adults free of CVD (mean age 38 years, 61% women), with a median follow-up of 10.3 years. We estimated the average intensity of leisure time physical activity (LTPA) using a validated questionnaire. We classified respondents into 3 groups: Inactive, <6 average metabolic equivalents (METs) and ≥6 average METs. We used Cox proportional hazards models adjusted by the EE in LTPA (MET-h/week) and other confounding factors, to examine this association. During 1,72,299 person-years of follow-up, we registered 127 cases of CVD (myocardial infarction, stroke, and death due to cardiovascular causes). The adjusted hazard ratio for CVD was 0.76 (95% CI 0.48 to 1.21) in the lower intensity group, and 0.31 (95% CI 0.12 to 0.79) in the higher intensity group, compared with the inactive, with a linear trend (p = 0.03). In conclusion, given the same level of EE, those respondents engaged in higher intensity LTPA, had a lower risk of CVD.

Strong inverse associations of Mediterranean diet, physical activity and their combination with cardiovascular disease: The Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra (SUN) cohort.

Background Inverse associations of the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) and physical activity with cardiovascular disease have been previously reported. We investigated the individual and combined contributions of both to this inverse association in a Mediterranean cohort. Design We used data from 19,536 participants from a prospective cohort of Spanish university graduates, the 'Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra' (SUN) cohort, followed up between December 1999 and December 2016. Methods Adherence to the MedDiet was obtained from a 136-item validated food-frequency questionnaire and categorized in tertiles using four previously reported dietary scores. A validated questionnaire assessed the physical activity levels according to volume, intensity and frequency. Results Participants were followed up during a median time of 10.4 years. Compared with the lowest category of adherence to the MedDiet (≤3 in the Mediterranean Diet Score), higher adherence (6-9 points) was strongly inversely associated with cardiovascular disease (multivariable adjusted hazard ratio = 0.33; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.20-0.55). Also, engaging in an active lifestyle (6-8 points in an eight-item score) compared with low activity (<2 points) was associated with a reduced risk of incident cardiovascular disease (hazard ratio = 0.43; 95% CI 0.20-0.90). Greater adherence to the MedDiet and engaging in high levels of active lifestyle showed a 75% relatively reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (hazard ratio = 0.25; 95% CI 0.13-0.48). Conclusions The combined effect of adherence to the MedDiet and adopting an active lifestyle showed a synergistic inverse association with cardiovascular disease risk.

Exercise Intensity and Incidence of Metabolic Syndrome: The SUN Project.

INTRODUCTION: Emerging evidence suggests that vigorous physical activity may be associated with higher cardioprotective benefits than moderate physical activity. This study aimed to assess the long-term relationship between the intensity of leisure time physical activity (LTPA) and the risk of developing metabolic syndrome (MS) in a prospective cohort study. METHODS: The Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra (SUN) Project comprises Spanish university graduates. Participants (n=10,145) initially free of MS were followed for a minimum of 6 years (2008-2014). Analysis was conducted in 2015. Physical activity was assessed though a validated questionnaire. The intensity of each physical activity was measured in METs. The intensity of LTPA was estimated by the ratio between total METs/week and total hours of LTPA/week, obtaining the mean METs/hour of LTPA. MS was defined according to the harmonizing definition. The association between the intensity of LTPA (METs/hour) and MS was assessed with logistic regression models adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: Among 10,145 participants initially free of any MS criteria, 412 new MS cases were observed. Vigorous LTPA was associated with a 37% relatively lower risk (AOR=0.63, 95% CI=0.44, 0.89) compared with light LTPA. For a given total energy expenditure, independent of the time spent on it, participants who performed vigorous LTPA exhibited a higher reduction in the risk of MS than those who performed light to moderate LTPA. CONCLUSIONS: Vigorous LTPA was significantly associated with lower risk of developing MS after a 6-year follow-up period.