Abstract

The present study investigates the possibility that a mainly aerobic sport such as amateur cycling might modify the incidence and/or extent of arteriosclerotic risk in adults. A group of amateur cyclists, average age 42, who had been cycling for many years and did an average training of over 200 km a week were examined and the following parameters tested: Body Mass Index, total cholesterol, HDL, cholesterol, triglycerides, cardiac frequency, arterial pressure, ECG at rest, during exercise and during a race, telecardiogram and echocardiogram. Eating and smoking habits and amount of exercise taken were also investigated. The results obtained show that all the subjects examined were normal in weight and had good HDL and total cholesterol ratios. None were regular smokers. Basal H.R. and B.P.: levels were below the average for the age group concerned. Laboratory and field testing of cardiocirculatory function showed it to be quite unimpaired in spite of the subjects ages. Verf.-Referat