The Relationship of Reported Coronary Heart Disease Mortality to Physical Activity of Work

Abstract

This study compared the mortality experience of postal clerks with mail carriers in the Washington, D.C. Area. Over 93% of 2240 persons who received a probational appointment between 1906 and 1940 were identified as living or dead as of January 1962. The validity of the reported mortality comparison rests on the similarity of the 2 groups in matters of pay, entrance examination, entrance physical and general social status. Coronary heart disease mortality risk for sedentary workers is estimated at between 1.4 and 19 times the risk of those who have more active jobs. Death rates from all causes were about 25% higher in the sedentary group suggesting that the lower coronary disease mortality rates in the more active group may be contributing to longevity rather than simply reflecting a shift from one cause to another. In addition, the study suggests that current physical activity may be more closely associated with the mortality differential than is the individual''s lifetime "average" for physical activity on the job.