A Comparison of Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Blood Lipid Profile among Inactive People, Walkers and Runners in Eiderly Japanese Men

Increased longevity is associated with an increase in multiple chronic conditions. Given the importance of regular physical activity in the prevention of control of these conditions in old age, the aim of this study was to compare the cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and plasma lipids (i.e., total cholesterol [TC], low density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDLC], high density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDLC], and triglycerides [TG]) in age-matched, physical active Japanese older men (i.e., runners [R, n = 21] and walkers [W, n =21]) and sedentary (controls [C, n = 23]. Oxygen uptake corresponding to lactate threshold (R 23.2 ± 4.0 ml/kg/min, W 17.0 ± 2.3 ml/kg/min, C 15.0 ±  2.9 ml/kg/min) and maximal oxygen uptake (R 41.3 ±  6.4 ml/kg/min, W 31.6  ±  2.7 ml/kg/min, C 25.4  ±  4.9 ml/kg/min) were both significantly higher in R and W than C (R >W). LDLC (R 109  ±  20 mg/dl, W 139  ± 38 mg/dl, C 173  ±  36 md/dl) was significantly higher in C than W and R (W> R). TF ( R 88  ±  52 mg/dl, W 122  ± 63 mg/dl, C 138  ±  66 mg/dl) was significantly lower in R than C, and tended ( p = 0.07) to be lower than W. HDLC (R 70  ± 17 mg/dl, W 52 ± 12 mg/dl, C 54  ±  10 mg/dl) was significantly higher in R than C or W. These findings confirm that better CRF and blood lipid levels are associated with physical activity in old age, and provide further evidence that greater benefits are associated with higher exercise intensities in Japanese older men.