(May 26, 2009 - Insidermedicine) Despite being much bigger than other men their age, professional football players are not at increased risk for cardiovascular disease, according to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Being excessively overweight is associated with an increased risk for:

•    Heart disease

•    Stroke

•    Type 2 diabetes

Researchers from Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore compared the cardiovascular risk factors of over 500 active, veteran NFL players with those of a group of U.S. men of a similar age.

The football players were, on average, taller and heavier than the comparison group. The two groups were similar, however, with regard to rates of HDL and LDL cholesterol levels. The football players were also less likely to smoke or to have impaired glucose control. NFL players did, however, have more than twice the rate of high blood pressure.

Today's research suggests that professional football players do not have more risk factors for cardiovascular disease than other men their age. However, the increased rate of high blood pressure is of concern.

For Insidermedicine in Depth, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.