OBJECTIVE: Physical activity is a key component of lifestyle intervention but its independent contribution to weight loss and prevention of @entity65 ( @entity65 ) remains unclear. We conducted a population-level follow-up study among young healthy Finnish @entity1 undergoing an intensive exercise intervention to examine the independent contribution of exercise to common @entity65 risk factors. METHODS: A prospective study of 1112 young @entity1 with mean age of 19.3 years (range 19-28) undergoing military service with structured exercise training program. Endurance (12-min running test) and muscle fitness performance (MFI), body composition, blood pressure and biochemical measurements were obtained at baseline and follow-up (range 6-12 months). RESULTS: Both endurance performance and MFI improved during follow-up (+170 m (SD 269) and 1.5 points (2.3), respectively, p<0.001 for both). Both improvement in endurance and MFI performance correlated with a reduction in weight, body mass index, waist circumference, fat mass and percentage, visceral fat area (VFA) and diastolic blood pressure (p<0.001 for all). Improvement in endurance performance also correlated with @entity551 (p=0.042), total and LDL @entity165 (p=0.024 and p<0.0001, respectively) and improvement in MFI with a reduction in @entity412 levels (p=0.012). The 12-min running test correlated with changes in @entity65 risk factors better than did MFI. Associations between improved exercise performance and reduction in blood pressure, and changes in lipid levels were attributable to reduced weight and VFA. CONCLUSION: We observed that an isolated, intensive exercise intervention, especially endurance training, significantly improved @entity65 risk factor levels, attributable to weight loss and reduced visceral fat area.

Exercise during military training improves cardiovascular risk factors in young XXXX .

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['men'] @entity412 :: ('CHEBI:17855', 'Chemical') :: ['triglyceride'] @entity551 :: ('MESH:D007022', 'Disease') :: ['reduction in systolic blood pressure'] @entity65 :: ('MESH:D002318', 'Disease') :: ['CVD', 'cardiovascular disease'] @entity165 :: ('MESH:D002784', 'Chemical') :: ['cholesterol']
@entity1 :: (9606,Species) :: ['men']
