C-reactive protein (CRP) is a key marker of inflammation, with a number of studies linking elevated CRP to cardiovascular disease. Michael Richardson, from the University of North Florida (Florida, USA), and colleagues examined data collected on 6,242 subjects enrolled in the 1999-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). WThe researchers found that people who exercise vigorously for 500 MET (metabolic equivalents) per week, displayed a 27% reduction in the odds of having elevated C-reactive protein levels, as compared to people who did not exercise. As well, the team observed that people who exercised vigorously but did not reach the recommended levels also showed lower odds ratio for being in the high C-reactive protein level when compared with individuals who did not exercise vigorously during the week.
