Effect of total, domain-specific, and intensity-specific physical activity on all-cause and cardiovascular mortality among hypertensive adults in China.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to prospectively examine the associations of total, domain-specific, and intensity-specific physical activity with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality among Chinese hypertensive adults.

METHODS: We performed a prospective cohort study in 150 391 hypertensive participants aged 30-79 years from the China Kadoorie Biobank study of 512 891 participants recruited from 10 diverse areas across China during 2004-2008. Participants with heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cancer at baseline were excluded.

RESULTS: During 1069 863 person-years of follow-up (median 7.1 years), a total of 5332 men and 4384 women died. Compared with hypertensive participants in the lowest level of total physical activity, the hazard ratios for all-cause mortality were 0.80 (0.76-0.84), 0.69 (0.65-0.73), and 0.67 (0.62-0.72) for those in quartiles 2-4 (Ptrend < 0.001), respectively. Inverse associations were also observed for cardiovascular mortality. Being active in occupational, domestic, and leisure time were associated with lower risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. However, the adjusted ratio for active commuting was 1.08 (1.02-1.15) for all-cause mortality. High levels of low-intensity, moderate-intensity, and vigorous-intensity physical activity were consistently associated with lower risks of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.

CONCLUSION: Among Chinese hypertensive adults, a higher level of physical activity reduces all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, independent of intensities of physical activity. Not only leisure-time but also occupational and domestic physical activities were benefited.