Ferritin levels and cardiovascular risk markers correlate with higher self-reported sedentary time in apparently healthy men

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the correlation between serum ferritin and cardiovascular risk markers with the time of self-reported physical activity and sedentary life style in apparently healthy men. METHODS: we included 69 men from three private and public companies in the metropolitan area of Cali, Colombia, aged between 25 and 64. The short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was applied, and were grouped in four categories of physical activity: 1. Minutes of intense physical activity (IFA)/week. 2. Minutes of moderate physical activity (MFA)/week. 3. Minutes of walk/week. 4. Minutes of sitting/day. Cardiovascular risk markers were defined based on the criteria of the ATP-III and the International Diabetes Federation. RESULTS: positive correlations were found in subjects who self-reported more time in sedentary activities according to the IPAQ category (average minutes sitting/day) in anthropometric indicators: percentage of body fat (rho = 0.249, p <0.05), mass index (rho = 0.268, p <0.05) and waist circumference (rho = 0.266, p <0.05). This same behavior was observed in biochemical variables: ferritin (rho = 0.247, p <0.05), triglycerides (rho = 0.258, p <0.05), insulin (rho = 0.284, p <0.05) and HOMA index (rho = 0.261). Also, lower levels of HDL-C were evidenced with lower levels of physical activity (rho =0.279, P <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: sedentary time (minutes sitting/week) reported by the subjects correlated positively with ferritin levels as well as with insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk markers. The body iron deposits estimated as serum ferritin, when related to sedentary lifestyle parameters, behave as a potential marker of cardiovascular risk.