Mixed
Engaging in leisure-time physical activity significantly reduces the risk of ischemic stroke in elderly, multiethnic populations, with a clear dose-response relationship where both higher intensity (heavy vs. light-moderate) and greater duration (>=5 hours/week) provide progressively greater protection.
For elderly adults, engaging in any leisure-time physical activity significantly lowers the risk of ischemic stroke. You do not need to perform intense workouts; light-to-moderate activities like walking, gardening, or dancing are effective. Increasing the duration of activity (aiming for 5 or more hours per week) and intensity (incorporating heavier activities like jogging or tennis if safe) provides even greater protection. This benefit applies to men and women of all ethnic backgrounds studied.
Leisure-time physical activity was significantly protective for stroke after adjustment for cardiac disease, peripheral vascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, smoking, alcohol use, obesity, medical reasons for limited activity, education, and season of enrollment (OR=0.37; 95% confidence interval=0.25 to 0.55)... A dose-response relationship was shown for both intensity (light-moderate activity OR=0.39; heavy OR=0.23) and duration (<2 h/wk OR=0.42; 2 to <5 h/wk OR=0.35; >=5 h/wk OR=0.31) of physical activity.
Why this rating
Population-based case-control study with rigorous matching and adjustment for numerous confounders, though not a randomized controlled trial.
Source
Leisure-Time Physical Activity and Ischemic Stroke Risk
Ralph L. Sacco et al. · Stroke · 1998
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