Relationship of body composition and cardiovascular fitness to lipoprotein lipid profiles in master athletes and sedentary men

A number of studies demonstrate that highly conditioned older athletes are leaner than their sedentary counterparts, and have lipoprotein profiles similar to that of young individuals. It is not clear whether the high maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max) or lean body habitus is the major determinant of the favorable lipoprotein lipid profiles present in older athletes. The objective of this study was to determine whether body composition or VO2max was the major determinant of lipoprotein lipid profiles among 61 master (age 63±6 years, mean ±SD) athletes (VO2max > 40 mL/kg/min), 39 age-matched lean (% body fat <25%), and 51 obese (% body fat >25%) sedentary men. Plasma high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations were 25% higher in the athletes than in the lean sedentary men, and 42% higher than in the obese sedentary men. Triglyceride (TG) concentrations were 24% lower in the master athletes than in the lean sedentary men, and 51% lower than in the obese sedentary group. Plasma low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels were 9% lower in the athletes than in the other two groups of sedentary individuals. In stepwise multiple regression analysis the percent body fat was the major independent predictor of HDL-C and TG levels accounting for 29% and 41% of the variation in these levels, respectively. The VO2max accounted for an additional 6% of the variance in HDL-C levels and 2% of the variance in TG levels. These cross-sectional results suggest that the favorable lipoprotein profile of master athletes is largely due to their lean body habitus, with a small independent contribution from their higher level of cardiovascular fitness. Thus, regular vigorous aerobic exercise and maintenance of low body fat may prevent the commonly observed age-associated deterioration in lipoprotein concentrations.