According to a study published in JAMA Network Open, active middle-aged men who are able to complete more than 40 push-ups have a significantly lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes compared to those who can do less than 10 push-ups during the baseline exam. The study was conducted on 1,104 active male firefighters with a mean age of 39.6 and mean body mass index (BMI) of 28.7, and their push-up capacity and submaximal treadmill exercise tolerance were measured at the beginning of the study. The participants subsequently completed annual physical exams and health and medical questionnaires for ten years. During the study period, 37 CVD-related outcomes were reported, and all but one occurred in men who completed 40 or fewer push-ups during the baseline exam.
The study provides evidence that push-up capacity could be an easy, no-cost method to help assess cardiovascular disease risk in almost any setting.
Furthermore, the study found that push-up capacity was more strongly associated with lower incidence of cardiovascular disease events than aerobic capacity estimated by a submaximal treadmill exercise test. This is the first known study to report an association between push-up capacity and subsequent cardiovascular disease outcomes, and it is considered a strong predictor of health status.
The study highlights the importance of physical fitness on health and emphasizes that clinicians should assess fitness during clinical encounters. Although the study population consisted of middle-aged, occupationally active men, the results may not be generalizable to women or to men of other ages or who are less active, note the authors.
Conclusion
The study suggests that middle-aged men who are physically active and can complete more than 40 push-ups have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease outcomes than those who can do less than 10 push-ups during the baseline exam. This is an important finding as push-up capacity is an easy, no-cost method to assess cardiovascular disease risk, making it a useful tool for clinicians during clinical encounters. While the study’s results may not be generalizable to other populations, the importance of physical fitness on health is emphasized, and this study adds to the body of evidence supporting the link between physical fitness and cardiovascular health.