Association of physical activity and risk of cardiac disease among young adults

Abstract

Background: Nowadays the level of physical activity is compromised among all, especially in young adults, which may contribute to early development risk of cardiac disease.

Objective: To determine the association of risk of cardiac disease with physical activity among young adults.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2024 to April 2024 at Iqra National University, Peshawar after approval from the ethical committee. A total of n=102 undergraduate male and female students between the age of 18-24 years were included in the study. To determine the physical activity of the participants International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Form was used. To evaluate the risk of cardiac disease was observed according to the National Cholesterol Education Program.

Results: The mean age and BMI of the n=102 study participants were 23.22±3.4 years and 23.37±5kg/m2 respectively. The risk of cardiac disease was found in n=45(44.1%) while most of the participants (n=33) were moderately and (n=42) highly physically active with a mean METs score of 2881.51±2704.83. Physical activity (PA) is not significantly associated (p=0.44) with the risk of cardiac disease. However, gender showed a strong association (p<0.001) with the risk of cardiac disease among the participants. A total of n=24(88.8%) females had the risk, out of n=27, while n=21(28%) males had the risk of cardiac disease out of n=75 males.

Conclusion: The study concluded that physical activity had a non-significant relation with the risk of cardiac disease while in the case of gender females are more prone to have the risk of cardiac disease.