Leisure‐time cross‐country skiing is associated with lower incidence of type 2 diabetes : A prospective cohort study
Year of publication
2020
Authors
Kunutsor, Setor K.; Mäkikallio, Timo H.; Kauhanen, Jussi; Voutilainen, Ari; Jae, Sae Young; Dey, Richard S.; Kurl, Sudhir; Laukkanen, Jari A.
Abstract
Aims. Cross‐country skiing is associated with reduction in risk of adverse vascular outcomes, but its association with type 2 diabetes is uncertain. We aimed to assess the associations between leisure‐time cross‐country skiing habits and incident type 2 diabetes. Methods. We analyzed data of 2,483 middle‐aged men with no history of diabetes at baseline in the KIHD prospective study. The frequency, average duration, and intensity of leisure cross‐country skiing were assessed at baseline using a 12‐month physical activity questionnaire. Hazard ratios (HRs) (95% CIs) for type 2 diabetes were estimated. Results. During a median follow‐up of 21.6 years, 539 men developed type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes risk decreased with increasing total volume of cross‐country skiing up to 1,215 MET hours/year. In analyses adjusted for several established risk factors, when compared to men with no cross‐country skiing activity, the HRs (95% CIs) for type 2 diabetes were 0.75 (0.62‐0.92) and 0.59 (0.46‐0.76) for men who did 1‐200 and >200 MET hours/year of cross‐country skiing respectively. Compared to men with no cross‐country skiing activity, the corresponding adjusted HRs (95% CIs) for type 2 diabetes were 0.73 (0.60‐0.89) and 0.64 (0.50‐0.82) for men who did 1‐60 and >60 mins/week of cross‐country skiing respectively. The associations remained consistent following further adjustment for prevalent comorbidities. Conclusion. Total volume and duration of leisure‐time cross‐country skiing are each inversely and independently associated with future type 2 diabetes risk in a male population. Cross‐country skiing undertaken as a leisure activity has the potential to promote public health.
Show moreOrganizations and authors
University of Oulu
Mäkikallio Timo Heikki
Publication type
Publication format
Article
Parent publication type
Journal
Article type
Original article
Audience
ScientificPeer-reviewed
Peer-ReviewedMINEDU's publication type classification code
A1 Journal article (refereed), original researchPublication channel information
Volume
2020; 36
Issue
1
Article number
e3216
ISSN
Publication forum
Publication forum level
1
Open access
Open access in the publisher’s service
No
Self-archived
Yes
Other information
Fields of science
General medicine, internal medicine and other clinical medicine; Health care science; Public health care science, environmental and occupational health; Sport and fitness sciences
Keywords
[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]
Publication country
United Kingdom
Internationality of the publisher
International
Language
English
International co-publication
Yes
Co-publication with a company
No
DOI
10.1002/dmrr.3216
The publication is included in the Ministry of Education and Culture’s Publication data collection
Yes