Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Coronary Atherosclerosis in Retired National Football League Players

• Published in: The American journal of cardiology Vol. 104; no. 6; pp. 805 - 811
• Main Authors: Chang, Alice Y., MD, MSCS, FitzGerald, Shannon J., PhD, Cannaday, John, MD, Zhang, Song, PhD, Patel, Amit, BS, Palmer, M. Dean, MS, Reddy, Gautham P., MD, MPH, Ordovas, Karen G., MD, Stillman, Arthur E., MD, PhD, Janowitz, Warren, MD, Radford, Nina B., MD, Roberts, Arthur J., MD, Levine, Benjamin D., MD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 15.09.2009; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Adult; African Americans - statistics & numerical data; Aged; Atherosclerosis (general aspects, experimental research); Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Body Size; Cardiology; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cardiovascular; Cardiovascular disease; Cardiovascular Diseases - epidemiology; Comparative analysis; Coronary Artery Disease - epidemiology; Coronary heart disease; European Continental Ancestry Group - statistics & numerical data; Football - physiology; Football - statistics & numerical data; Heart; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Prevalence; Professional football; Retirement; Risk Factors; Studies; Tomography; United States - epidemiology; United States; Vascular disease; Atherosclerosis; Risk factor; Cardiovascular disease; Circulatory system; Cardiology; Coronary heart disease
• ISSN: 0002-9149; 1879-1913
• DOI: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2009.05.008

A high prevalence of obesity exists in National Football League (NFL) players as determined by body mass index (BMI). It is not established whether increased BMI is associated with a greater prevalence of cardiovascular (CV) risk factors or coronary atherosclerosis in former NFL players than in nonathletes. This study compared CV risk factors and coronary atherosclerosis in retired NFL players to 2 groups of community controls, the population-based Dallas Heart Study and the preventive medicine cohort, the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study. Retired NFL players (n = 201) were matched for ethnicity, age, and BMI (Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study, age only). CV risk factors were assessed by survey and screening visit. Coronary atherosclerosis was measured by computed tomography as coronary artery calcium (CAC). Compared to population-based controls, retired NFL players had a significantly lower prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, sedentary lifestyle, and metabolic syndrome, yet a higher prevalence of impaired fasting glucose and hyperlipidemia. However, there was no significant difference in the prevalence of detectable CAC (46% vs 48.3%, p = 0.69) or distribution of CAC (0 to 10, 10 to 100, 100 to 400, ≥400, p = 0.11). Comparing retired NFL players to the physically active preventive medicine controls, there was no difference in the amount of CAC. In retired NFL players, age and hyperlipidemia, not body size, were the most significant predictors of CAC. In conclusion, despite their large body size, retired NFL players do not have a greater prevalence of CV risk factors or amount of CAC than community controls.