Objective: To investigate the association between physical activity accumulated from early (age 22-27 y) to mid (age 40-45 y) adulthood and resting heart rate at age 41-46 years in women.
Methods: Data were from 479 participants in the 1973-1978 cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. Participants reported physical activity every 3 years from age 22-27 years to 40-45 years. Linear regression models were used to investigate the associations of a cumulative physical activity score (average physical activity across 18 y; up to 7 surveys) and changes in physical activity from age 22-33 years to 34-45 years with resting heart rate at age 41-46 years.
Results: Average resting heart rate at age 41-46 years was 75 (SD: 11) beats per minute. An inverse nonlinear dose-response association between cumulative physical activity and resting heart rate was observed. Overall, accumulation of physical activity was associated with lower resting heart rate regardless of the age when physical activity was accumulated. Women in the highest tertile of physical activity at both age 22-33 years and 34-45 years had a resting heart rate, on average, 8 beats per minute lower (95% confidence interval, -11.42 to -4.69) than those consistently in the lowest tertile of physical activity.
Conclusion: Accumulating physical activity, irrespective of timing, appears to provide cardiovascular health benefits for women before the transition to menopause.
Keywords: cardiovascular; cohort; life course; lifespan.