72.1.. A renown? STUDY or exancase. man's AND RELATED CHARACTERISTICS or roman MICHIGAN STATE umvmsmr Mama‘s AND NON-ATHLETES Thesis {or the Degree of M. A, MICHIGAN sure umvmsm Wayne Bruce Neely 1960 A FOLLOW-UP STUDY or EXERCISE HABITS AND RELATED CHARACTERISTICS OF FORMER MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETES AND NON-ATHLETES b? WAYNE BRUCE NEELY AN ABSTRACT Submitted to the College of Education Michigan State University of Agriculture and Applied Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation 1960 Approved: ,2ég2:aA1'£;gi;{2Z;¢é::; éggfi 7/ f WAYNE BRUCE NEELY ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to compare health, race, marital status, occupation, and vocational and non- vocational activity of former varsity athletes with a similar group of non-athletes. Michigan State University letter winners who com— peted between the years 1886-1937 were the athletes selected for this study. The non-athletes used as the control group were picked by a stratified random sampling technique in such a manner that a non-athlete who was a senior inl925 was matched with a letter winner who was also a senior in 1925. Questionnaires were sent to 567 athletes and 511 non-athletes along with an explanatory letter and a summary of a previous study done. The athletes returned 476 useable questionnaires compared to 437 for the controls. Informa- tion was taken from the questionnaires and placed on tabu- lation sheets by use of a coding system and then punched onto I.B.M. cards for ease of compiling data. The Chi- square and t-test were used in analyzing the data. Many previous studies have been done comparing the longevity of college letter winners with the general popu- lation taken from insurance statistics but these studies are of little value. Not until 1932, did Louis Dublin(1) complete -1- -2- WAYNE BRUCE NEELY his study where he used a control group of college non-athletes with which to make a comparison. Dublin found little differ- ence between the athlete and non-athlete groups but the honor students in his study were found to live longer. Rook (l95h)(2) also found little difference between athletes and controls which were selected at random from the same University as the athletes. The group of honor students involved in his study enjoyed a longer life than either athletes or non-athletes and the results were sig- nificant. The following differences were found to be statis- tically significant in the present study: 1. A greater percentage of athletes smoke than non- athletes. 2. A greater percentage of athletes drink than non- athletes. }. Athletes are heavier drinkers than the non- athletes. A. The athletes are more flexible in the types of liquor they consume than are the non-athletes. The controls have higher percentages in the beer classification but mere athletes drink whiskey and also lead in the "two or more" classification. are not -3- WAYNE BRUCE NEELY 5. More non-athletes do house and yard maintenance than do the athletes. 6. A higher percentage of athletes do sit-up exercises in the summer than the control group. The following areas were examined; however, they statistically significant: 1. There was no significant difference in occupa- tional distribution for athletes and non-athletes. 2. There was no significant difference in occupa- tional activity between the athletes and non- athletes. 3. The total number of children, and the differences between athletes and non-athletes with respect to total sons and total daughters proved to be in- significant. A. There was no significant differences in marital status for athletes and non-athletes. 5. Comparisons of athletes and controls in relation to racial distribution were insignificant. 6. No differences were found between athletes and non-athletes and the amount of tobacco they used. 7. There was no significant difference between the athletes and non-athletes in relation to the 8. 9. 10. ll. 12. 13. -A- WAYNE BRUCE NEELY percentages of each group working in their gardens. The comparison of the athletes and non-athletes doing sitting-up exercises in the winter months was insignificant. There was no significant difference in summer or winter sports activity between the athletes and controls. The retirement habits between athletes and non- athletes were not statistically significant. No significant differences were feund when length of time spent in present occupation was examined. There was no significant difference in type of tobacco used between the athletes and non-athletes. The comparison of athletes to non-athletes con- cerning amount of work done around the house and yard was not statistically significant. It. No significant differences were found between the two groups when the percentage mowing their lawn was examined. 15. No significant differences were found with re- spect to interests or activity in hobbies. -5- WAYNE BRUCE NEELY 1. Dublin, Louis 1., "College Honor Men Long-lived," Statistical Bulletin of the Metro olitan Life Insurance Company, 13:5-7, August, 1932. 2. Rook, Alan, "An Investigation into the Longevity of Cambridge Sportsmen," British.Medical Journal, A865, 773- 777, April. 1951.. " """"‘ A FOLLOW-UP STUDY OF EXERCISE HABITS AND RELATED CHARACTERISTICS OF FORMER MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETES AND NON-ATHLETES by WAYNE BRUCE NEELY A THESIS Submitted to the College of Education Michigan State University of Agriculture and Applied Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation 1960 ACKNOWLEDGMENT I wish to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Henry J. Montoye and Dr. Wayne D. Van Huss for their guidance and assistance so generously given me in this research project. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter I. II. III. IV. V. INTRODUCTION] 0 O O O O O O O O O O O O 0 Statement of the Problem . . . . . . Importance Of the StUdy o o o o o o 0 Limitations 0 o o o o o o o o o o o 0 REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE . . . . . . . . METHODS OF PROCEDURE . .-. . . . . . . . IntrOduCtion o o o o o o o o o o o o 0 Athletes 0 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o Non-Athletes o o e o o o o o o o o o 0 Methods Used in Mailing Questionnaires FOIlOW‘up Letters 0 o o o o o o o o Tabulation of Results . . . . Statistical Analysis . . . . . RESULTS, INTERPRETATION, AND ANALYSIS OF DATA 0 O C O O O O O O O O O O O O O O 0 SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS Summary 0 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o conClUSions o o o o o o o o o o o o 0 Recommendations 0 o o o o o o o o o o BIBLIOGRAPHY O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O 0 APPENDIX A O O O O O O O ‘ O O O O O O O O O O Questionnairesi Covering Letters, and a Brief of the Origina Study APPENDIX B o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o IOBQMC COding Plan iii ...§. 0 o 0510 o 0 THE 0 O O 0 Summary 18 58 58 60 62 65 67 78 LIST OF TABLES Table ' Page I. Marital Status of Athletes and Non-Athletes LiVing o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 28 II. Racial Difference of Living Athletes and Non- Athletes 0 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 28 iv Graph I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. X. XI. XII. XIII. XIV. LIST OF GRAPHS Page Percent of Athletes and Non-Athletes in Each 19 Occupation o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o A Comparison of Athletes and Non-Athletes Present Occupation Activity . . . . . . . . 21 A Comparison of Athletes and Non-Athletes WOrking Versus Retired 0 o o o o o o o o o o 22 Athletes and Non-Athletes Comparison in Rela- tion to_Length of Time in Present Occupation 2A A Comparison of Athletes and Non-Athletes walk- ing or Biking to Work 0 o o o o o o o o o o 25 Percent of Athletes and Controls Having Child- ren o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 27 A Comparison of Subjects Smoking in Athlete and Non-Athlete Groups 0 o o o o o o o o o o 30 Types of Tobacco Used by Athletes and Controls 31 A Comparison of the Amount of Tobacco Used by the Athlete and Non’Athlete Groups 0 o o o o 33 A Comparison of Subjects Drinking in Athlete and Non'Athlete Groups 0 o o o o o o o o o o 34 Types of Liquor Used by Athletes and Controls 36 A Comparison of the Amount of Liquor Used by the Athletes and Non-Athletes . . . . . . . 38 Percent of Athletes and Controls Doing House and Yard Maintenance 0 o o o o o o o o o o 39 A Comparison of Athletes and NoneAthletes in Relation to Amount of Work Done Around the Yard and House 0 o o o o o o o o o o o o o 0 L1 Graph XVI. XVII. XVIII. XIX. XXI. XXII. XXIII. XXIV. Page Percent of Athletes and Non-Athletes Mowing Their Lawns Regularly o o o o o o o o o o o 0 Percent of Athletes and Non-Athletes Doing WOrk in Their Gardens 0 o o o o o o o o o o o o o A Comparison of Athletes and Non-Athletes in Relation to Amount of werk Done in the Garden A Comparison of Athletes and Non-Athletes Doing Sit-ups in thQ Winter 0 o o o o o o o o o o o A Comparison of Athletes and Non-Athletes Doing Sit-“P3 in the Summer 0 o o o o o o o o o_o 0 Athletes and Non-Athletes Doing Various Hobbies The Regularity of Athlete and Non-Athlete Par- ticipation in HObbiGS o o o o o o o o o o o o A Comparison of Athletes and Controls in Various Summer Sports 0 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o The Regularity of Athlete and Non-Athlete Par- ticipation in Summer Sports 0 o o o o o o o o A Comparison of Athletes and Controls in Various Winter Sports 0 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o The Regularity of Athlete and Non-Athlete Par- tiCipation in Winter Sports 0 o o o o o o o 0 vi #2 43 AS #6 #8 A9 51 52 5h 56 57 CHAPTER I Introduction Competitive athletics consisting of many different sports play an important role in the cultures of people all over the world and if the trend continues as it has in the past hundred or so years, an even greater emphasis will be placed on our sport's programs. It is the belief of many individuals not only here in America but in other countries as well, that athletes die at a younger age than those who do not participate in athletics. Research is the best method we have to determine the answer to our problem and it is hoped that through this study a portion of the answer will be derived. Statement of the Problem The purpose of this study is to compare health, race, marital status, occupation, and vocational and non- vocational activity of former varsity athletes with a similar group of non-athletes. The athletes were selected if they had earned a varsity letter between the years 1886 and 1937 and the non-athletes were picked at random from the Michigan State University registrar’s student directories -1- -2- and were also graduates of the years 1886-1937. A total of 567 athletes and 511 controls were sent questionnaires to gather data for this study. Impgrtance of the Study A study of this type concerning athletes and non- athletes holds a great deal of importance to the field of athletics and what will become of it in the future. Par- ticipation in sports has resulted in injury and in some cases even death. On the other hand there are many people who truly believe athletics build character through sportsman- ship, punctuality, cooperation, etc., and a strong healthy body through exercise at the competitive level and that these good effects far outweigh the detrimental ones. Due to our nature of living, it is inevitable that a boy who dies from head injuries received in a football game at the age of sixteen will receive much more attention and public interest than ten former athletes playing a fast game of polo at the age of seventy and thereafter feeling no ill effects. Longitudinal studies of research involving com- parisons appears to be the best method that we possess which can answer the questions concerning athletics. We need facts to rid ourselves of the many controversies we now have on the subject. -3- It is possible that due to the outcome of this followe up study and the facts obtained therefrom, that our training programs or even our whole athletic programs may be changed. If through the findings of this research it is found that athletics are harmful, then we needa revision in our pro- grams. The sooner we find out the answer to this question, the sooner we can begin to extend the lives of individuals. Limitations (1) The grouping of the subjects into athletes and non-athletes has its limitations as it is very possible that some men classified as non-athletes, were more active than those classified as athletes. (2) Due to the great distances remote from the campus of Michigan State University that some of the individ- uals now live, a questionnaire had to be used to gather the data. When questionnaire studies are done, there is a chance for biased answers in some cases. (3) Evidence could be obtained in this study that would differ greatly from other work done, because of train- ing methods, geographical location or environmental con- ditions.a (A) In the process of mailing the questionnaires and follow-up letters, it was possible to mail letters with incorrect addresses. It was also possible that letters were -4- not forwarded to new addresses by the postal department or by other individuals thinking that the letter was unimportant. (5) The questionnaire itself may have been inadequate in that some of the questions could be vague and ambiguous. (6) Over the period that the individuals earned letters in various sports, the methods of training may have changed sufficiently to alter the results. (7) Many of the participants of this research pro- ject served in the armed forces in WCrld War II, and it is believed that the conditions with which they came in contact such as foreign countries, environmental factors etc., may have had some bearing on their longevity and morbidity. CHAPTER II REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE For many years now, man has been faced with the con- troversial problem of strenous exercise through competetive sports and its effect on the general health and longevity) of the individuals who engage in it. A number of people have voiced their opinions on this subject, some with scientific data to back up their opinions and others just because they (are in favor of or against strenous activity through competi- tive sports. There are a few research projects completed in this area of concern, some have great contributions to make but most are of limited value. The only way by which a definite answer can be derived is to select two compar- able groups, follow these individuals throughout their entire lives, collect data periodically during their life span and through this data determine if strenuous exercise has or has not brought about significant changes in relation to the general health and longevity of those individuals. The earlier studies are comprehensively reviewed in a monograph, "Longevity and Morbidity of College Athletes," by Dr. Henry J. Montoya and his associates of Michigan State University.(5) -5- Since the monograph was published, Karvonen and his associates in 1956 did a study of 318 champion skiers who (4) competed between the years 1889-1930. Information was sought on these men, of which only 166 could be traced and data collected on them after the year 1930. Of the 166 men, 43 were still alive in 1955 when the study was started, 55 were dead and 68 had disappeared alive from observation since 1930. When compared to the general male population of Fin- land in 1931-35, taking 15 years as a starting age, the skiers life expectancy proved to be seven years more that of the general male population, the figures stand at 71 for the skiers and 64 for the general male population. When causes of death were studied of the 55 who had died, it was concluded that the deaths were distributed similar to those among the general population. Although the skiers could expect no different causes of death they lived on the average of seven years longer than the average man of Finland. The authors concluded that the difference of seven years in favor of the skiers was due to the follow- ing factors: Skiing is intense training for the circulatory system and skiing is often practiced through many years up to advanced ages unlike most other ferms of sports. The small number of subjects may also have a drastic effect on the results. -7- In 1958, Pomeroy‘a) and White presented a study on the prevalence of coronary heart disease in mesomorphic ex- athletes and the influence of different factors upon its development. Four hundred twenty-four Harvard men who won letters in football between 1901 and 1930 inclusive were used for subjects in this study. In 1955 when the actual study was being conducted, 126 had died, 292 were still alive and six could not be traced. Causes of death were found for 87 of the 126 and of these 87, 38$.died of cardi- ovascular diseases, 13% from cancer, 10% from pneumonia and war, 9% from accidents, 5% from suicide and the balance was miscellaneous. The authors tried to compare these football players with a similar age group of white males from Massachusetts but the mortality of the athletes as compared with the healthy males from Massachusetts (general pOpulation), could not be determined because the data that was obtained were considered inadequate. I Other areas studied were body build, weight gain, personal family status, family history, habits of exercise, use of alcohol and tobacco, and diet. These relationships in the group of football players were compared with persons whose history revealed coronary heart disease and those without it. Body build between the two groups did not differ significantly but more weight gain was revealed in the -3- coronary group. More divorces were prevalent in the coronary group. The most significant finding revealed in this study was that connected with exercise and its relation to coronary heart disease. The individuals who exercised heavily did not develop coronary heart disease and those that even had moderate habits of exercise were less prone to develop coronary heart ailments. There were more heavy smokers in the coronary group but nothing Significant. Little relation was found with alcohol and heart disease and the relationship wdth diet was not completed successfully because of the lack of accurate information. The major defect found in this study was the diffi- culty of comparing extremes because of the inadequate number of subjects represented in the study. Dr. Pearl,(7) a professor at John Hopkins University compiled figures which show the relationship of occupation to longevity and that after the age of A0 the intellectual has the best chance for survival. The data on which he based his conclusions were derived from "The Statistics on Mortality of Occupied Males," published by the office of the Registrar General of England and Wales. The statistics covered a three year period and a range of 132 occupations. The death rates were put into five year periods, thereby allowing for the observation of mortality trends according to the age of the worker. The physical energy expenditure of each occu- pation was put into five classifications and the grouping for -9- the indoor occupations was separated from the outdoor occu- pations. After working with the data for men under AO years of age, Dr. Pearl came to the conclusion that it is very difficult to kill a man by hard physical work before he is AO, (industrial hazards being excluded), and indoor, outdoor occupations being taken into consideration in the analysis. After a man reaches A0 years of age the picture begins to form, revealing the relationship of occupation to longevity. From 35 to AA inclusive, the death rate of the heavier indoor occupations is 3.9% greater than that for the light indoor occupations. From A5 through 5A it rises to 12.8% and from 55 through 6A, it is 18.6% greater. Pearl points out that although the death rate of the outdoor workers is lower than that of the indoor workers, the same relationship between heavy and light occupations and the duration of life is evident. The author also points out that it is wholly probable that the same relationship between physical exertion and duration of life holds good for women as well as for men. The important limitation of this study is ones inability to determine whether environmental conditions arising from social class distinctions may not have been the primary factor between these groups instead of hard physical labor. -10- Whitney(ll) in his study in 193A clarifies the rela- tionship between grade of occupation and length of life. Workers of ten states in the study were grouped into seven social and occupational classes which include professionals, prOprietors, managers, officials, clerks and kindred workers, agricultural workers, skilled workers and foreman, semi— skilled workers, and lastly those in the unskilled group. It was found that the rate of death of the lower social-economic group was almost double that of men in the professions and higher social-economic groups. There was a constant rate of increase in mortality from the higher to the lower groups with the exception of agricultural workers who showed a lower death rate than any other group. The author felt that the figures could not be regarded as rigorously measuring the comparative mortalities of the seven groups listed because of the variations in age at which the different occupations are entered, yet they undoubtedly reflect the fundamental relations. Whitney did not attempt to explain the low death rateof the agricultural workers participating in this study but apparently there are a number of factors contributing to their low mortality rate. Stamler(10) and his fellow workers in 1960, analyzed the distribution of arteriosclerotic heart disease rates occurring in the city of Chicago for the year 1951. This distribution was applied to the occupation of the men in- volved in this study and the death rate is presented in -11- numbers per 1,000 men involved. Grouped into five occupa- tional classifications Stamler found that professionals and managers had a death rate of 3.65 per 1,000, clerical and sales 5.59, craftsmen and farmers 3.70, service workers .A.AO, and laborers 8.13 per 1,000 men. It was brought out that the results of this study were not in line with most studies which were made in England. It is known that the social mobility and job changing is much greater in this country than in England and since the information for this study was derived from death certificates, the information and conclusions presented in the study may not be reliable for establishing a physical activity history and classi- fication. In 19A8, J. N. Morris(6) and his associates of the Social Medicine Research unit studied the illnesses that occurred in 31,000 bus drivers and conductors. Data were collected from the London Transport Company for the period 19L9-50. The figures presented were for a standardized annual rate per 1,000, ages 35 to 6A years. Male conductors having their first clinical occunmnue of coronary heart disease were as follows: Angina pectoris 0.8, coronary infarction 0.8, and thrombosis 3-day mortality O.A, for a total of 1.9. The drivers first clinical occurrence of angina pectoris was O.A, coronary infarction 1.5 and thrombosis 3-day mortality 0.9, for a total of 2.7. It is shown that the drivers had a -12- higher rate of coronary infarction, and total incidence. It was felt that one of the most important points brought out in this study was that when a driver did get an attack of coronary occlusion, he was less apt to survive the initial attack than was the conductor. Conductors had a higher incidence of angina pectoris but this type of coronary disease was considered a milder form,there-by possibly explaining the lower thrombosis 3-day mortality of the conductors. Hav- ing to exert themselves more than the drivers, it is likely that conductors become aware of coronary disease at an earlier date than drivers.' CHAPTER III METHODS OF PROCEDURE Introduction All of the material in the preceding chapter has. been placed there to show the reader what has been accom- plished through research in the area of longevity and morbidity of athletes all over the world. This chapter will be concerned with the techniques used in collecting and compiling data for this study. It covers the pro- Cedure in picking the subjects, methods used in sending out the questionnaires, followbup letters, tabulation, and sta- tistical techniques employed in analyzing the data. Selection of Subjects Athletes All of the athletes who were used in this study earned a letter in a varsity sport at Michigan State Uni- versity between the years 1886 and 1937. The subjects sel- ected for use in this study were exactly the same as those used in the original study which was done seven years ago.(5) The same addresses that were used in the previous study were used again to try to contact the subjects for this -13- -1A- study. It is important to note that only the living subjects that successfully returned their questionnaires in the original study (1953) were used in this study. Non-Athletes The same sample of non-athletes was also used as was used seven years ago. These individuals are college graduates comparable by year to the athletes that were selected in this study. It is felt, and proven to some degree, that by selecting a comparable group as was done in this study that the results would be more accurate than if a compari- son were made with insurance tables as so many studies have done in the past. The same method was utilized here that was used in securing correct addresses for the athletes. Methods Used in Mailing Questionnaires and Follow-Up Letters The names and addresses of all the athletes and non- athletes were typed on envelopes which contained a covering letter, the questionnaire, a self-addressed return envelope, and a two-page summary of the original study(5) (see Appendix A). The letter explained the purpose of the study and its importance to future sports and athletic events. The summary was included to let the addressee know that something was being done with the questionnaires he was returning and also to make available to him some very interesting factual material in which he took part. It was also felt that this- summary would increase the percentage of returns. -15- When the questionnaires started to return, they were placed in a~ filing box in sport activity classifications and sport control group classifications and the address cards (3 x 5) taken from their file, placed in a new location and marked useable returned questionnaires. The questionnaires that were returned unopened, wrong addresses, etc. were checked with the alumni records and when the most recent address was feund the questionnaire was immediately remailed. If no recent address was found the man was dropped from the study and classified as lost. A few of the subjects were deceased who we received unclaimed mail from and in some instances were located in the deceased files in the alumni records room. The Cause of death, city and state which death occurred in, along with the date of death were recorded and a death certificate was obtained from the state department of that particular state. Five weeks after the first questionnaire was mailed, a follow-up letter was sent out to remind those subjects who had not returned their questionnaires that it had not been received and that it was anxiously being awaited. A fairly good return was recorded by this first follow-up letter and it was felt that a second followeup letter would also give a good return. Three weeks after the first follow-up letter was sent, a second follow-up letter was on its way and the returns from this letter were also very rewarding. After the second follow-up letter had been -16.. out three weeks, all the addresses of men who had not re- turned a questionnaire were checked in the alumni records room and those men whose addresses had changed were sent a third follow-up letter and questionnaire. In conjunction with this third follow-up letter, all the individuals who lived in the greater Lansing area and had numbers listed in the Lansing area phone book were contacted and told of the third follow-up questionnaire being sent to them and asked if they would fill out the questionnaire and return it. ' There was a total of 1,078 questionnaires sent out, 567 to athletes and 511 to non-athletes or the control group. Of the 567 athletes, 520 were received completed for a per- centage of 92.03 and the non-athletes returned A65 for a 90.99 percentage. A combined percentage returned from the two groups was over 91. A total of 72 subjects had died in .the last seven years (1953-1960), and of these men AA were athletes and 28 were non-athletes. Tabulation of Results The questionnaires were all numbered in the upper righthand corner and placed in order so that the informa- tion could be more easily transferred to code sheets. A coding system was worked out (Appendix B), then the infor- mation was placed from the questionnaires to the code sheets and ready to be punched on I.B.M. cards. Each subject, -17- both athletes and non-athletes had information punched on two full cards of 80 columns each. With the large number of cases participating in this study it was felt that Interna— tional Business Machines would be necesSary to make the many comparisons that were needed. Statistical Analysis . For the statistical analysis of the data collected two techniques were used. The Chi-Square was used in all cases where qualitative data were analyzed and the t-Test where quantitative data were analyzed. ' The results of the statistical analysis of all the data are shown in the following chapter. CHAPTER IV RESULTS, INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS OF THE DATA The following graphs and tables are products of the tabulated information received from the questionnaires. They were statistically analyzed and the results and interpreta- tions are presented in this chapter. The present occupations listed by the participants of this study were categorized into thirteen different classi- fications so a more accurate comparison could be made between the athlete and non-athlete groups within each occupational area. Presented in Graph I are the percentages of partici-, pants employed in each occupational area both in the athlete and control group. This type of comparison helps to give insight into the type of occupational area each group is more likely to enter, thereby possibly revealing personality strengths and weaknesses of the two groups. It is interest— ing to note that the athlete group engages more in the administrative, managerial, advisory, and buying and selling areas and the control non-athlete group in the professions, such as doctors, lawyers, etc. and also engineering and farming. The differences between the two groups were analyzed but were not significant, the Chi-Square being 12.25. -13- -20- A comparison of occupational activity (present occupation) is presented in Graph II between the athlete and control groups. The activity rating for each occupation was derived from the "Estimates of Worker Trait Requirements For A,OOO Jobs as Defined in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles."3 Because of small numbers in the sedentary and very heavy groups the sedentary group was combined with the light activity group and the very heavy group with the heavy activity group; the medium classification was large enough to analyze without combining it with one of the other groups. There is a higher percentage of athletes engaged in light and medium activity occupations overall than there are non-athletes but the non-athletes are employed more readily in the heavy activity occupations. It is interesting to note that in the heavy activity graph, over A0 percent of both athletes and non-athletes in the 70-79 age group are still engaged in heavy activity occupations. The differences between the two groups in relation to occupational activity were found to be not statistically significant. In Graph III a comparison was made between athletes and non-athletes and their retirement habits, taking into consideration their ages at retirement. This again has no statistical significance but it does point out that in the last age group 80-89 a higher percentage of athletes are still active in their occupations than are non-athletes. -23- A study with a much larger number of cases in the last two age groups might prove very worthwhile. The differences in the length of time spent in the present occupation of athletes and controls was not signifi- cant with the Chi-Square being used in the analysis of the data. The categories used were less than five years, from five to 15 years, and 15 and over. Graph IV follows a similar pattern of the other graphs in the area of occupa- tion with the lines crossing very frequently and revealing no clear-cut separation of the athlete and non-athlete group. The generally large separation of percentages in the 80-89 age group is probably due to the low number of subjects in that age group. The Chi-Square for length in present occupation is 9.2A revealing the close coordination of both groups. In Graph V more activity in connection with the subjects occupation was sought but due to a flaw in the construction of the questionnaire, walking as a hobby had to be included to get a more accurate picture of activity. The older the subjects were the more they walked or biked, probably because many of the older subjects were walking a few miles a day just as a hobby. The athlete group in the last two age ranges 70-79 and 80-89, appear to have much more activity from walking or biking than do the non-athletes. These large increases in percentages are wholly from walking as a hobby. The 70-79 age range contributed nearly half the ..-. -4 -26- total Chi-Square of 3.03 which was not significant. A larger number of cases in all age groups would undoubtedly give a much better and more accurate picture of activity and its relation to occupation. Presented in Graph VI are the percentages of ath- letes having children and non-athletes having children in each age group. The steady decrease in percentages of the last four age groups cannot be explained other than a mis- interpretation of the questionnaire, the subjects thinking that they were only to answer the question yes, if they had children living. Due to the consistent drOp in the curve this assumption is probably correct. 0n the whole, more athletes had at least one child than did the control non-athlete group but the Chi-Square of A.98 was not sta- tistically significant. . It was sought to determine if athletes really do have more daughters than sons which is the common conception of some people connected with athletics. The findings of this study do not support the old saying as the subjects partici- pating had a few more sons than they did daughters. The statistical analysis however was not significant. The non- athlete group had slightly more sons than did the athletes, however a t of 1.22 was not statistically significant. The athletes had more daughters than did the control group but the difference was not of significance here either (t = 0.72). -28.. When total sons and daughters were investigated it was found‘ that the control group had more children than did the athletes but the difference was not significant fer this case either (t - 0.37). TABLE I MARITAL STATUS OF ATHLETES AND NON-ATHLETES LIVING Percent Percent Percent Percent Total Single Married Widowed Divorced Number Athletes 2.97 93.33 2.79 1.07 A65 Non-Athletes 1.86 93.95 3.48 0.69 - A30 The marital status of both groups as presented in Table I is very similar with a Chi-Square of 1.5A not being statistically significant. TABLE II RACIAL DIFFERENCE OF LIVING ATHLETES AND NON-ATHLETES ,Percent Percent Total White Negro Number Athletes 95.90 A.09 A6A Non-Athletes 97.A5 2.5A A32 ‘A‘ Due to such small numbers in other races than white and negro, the subjects of those classifications were dropped from this analysis. Two subjects were dropped in all, one -29- was an athlete and the other a non-athlete. A larger number of negroes were in the athlete group than were in the non- athlete group, A.09 and 2.5A percent respectively. This is not unusual, for many of the colored athletes were probably on athletic scholarships and would not have attended the University otherwise. The Chi-Square = 1.66 and is not significant. Smoking habits analyzed in previous studies between athletes and non-athletes show a larger percentage of athletes smoking. This study supports the previous work done on smoking, as the findings were significant at the 5% level. In all but the last age group 80-89, the athletes had higher percentages smoking than did the non-athletes, the last group being different probably because of the small number of cases involved. Graph VII presents the comparison of the two groups and reveals the distinct gap between the athletes and controls. It is interesting to note that over half the individuals in the first two age groups, both - athletes and non-athletes use tobacco in some form. In Graph VIII subjects were separated into the different categories depending upon which type or types of tobacco they were presently using. Types not listed were disregarded in the analysis because of insufficient numbers. No significant differences were found but it is interesting to see that cigarettes have by far the highest percentage of users yet the trend is toward the lower percentages in the -32- older age groups. On the other three graphs presented the trend goes in the opposite direction of that of cigarette smokers, i.e., from the lower percentages at younger ages to slightly higher levels at older ages. Possibly those ' that are giving up smoking cigarettes as they get older, switch to one of the other types of tobacco or add another type of tobacco along with cigarettes which would put them into the two or more classification. ' The amount of tobacco used is just as important as the type being used and for purposes of analysis in this study, a scale of light, medium and heavy was constructed (see Appendix B). The data presented in Graph IX were anlyzed by the Chi-Square technique and found to be insignif- icant (Chi-Square = 11.66). It is to be noted that the control group have slightly higher percentages over all in the light smoking group, the athletes have higher percentages in every age range in the medium smoking group, and the two are intermingled in the heavy smoking group. .The graph on drinkers and non-drinkers shows very clearly that athletes are a larger drinking group than the controls. The graph, (No. X), when analyzed statistically shows a difference in the two groups being analyzed signifi- cant at the 5% level. The two age groups 60-69 and 70-79, contributed to over 75% of the Chi-Square which was 12.1h. There is a steady decrease of individuals drinking from the younger men to the older men and part of this might be GRAPH I -35- attributed to doctors advising their patients (the subjects) to quit drinking in favor of their health. It is mentioned here that the pattern of drinking in the athlete group closely follows the smoking pattern of the athletes. The significant difference in the two groups could be attributed to many different and varied reasons. The first conclusion reached on the significance of these data is that after abstaining from the use of alcohol during training, athletes want to rid themselves of training rules and drinking is an excellent way. Athletes, as has been previously discussed in this chapter, select jobs in areas of a more social nature than do non-athletes and, therefore, they use alcohol due to social pressures. It is also possible that the athlete uses alcohol to relax himself as a substitute for the physical exertion that he used as a means of relaxing tension in competition. The types of liquor consumed presented in Graph XI are also significant at the 5% level, the Chi-Square being used to determine significance. Those types of alcohol not presented were disregarded because of lack of numbers to be statistically analyzed. Non-athletes had higher percentages at every age group in the area of beer drinking, so it appears that when the athletes did drink, they did not settle for just beer, it was either whiskey or a combination of beer and whiskey. Both athletes and non-athletes are similar in that when a subject drinks he generally drinks more than -37- one type of alcoholic beverage. The amount of drinking presented in Graph XII was determined by putting each subject who did drink into a three group classification of light, medium and heavy (see Appendix B). Non-athletes had higher percentages in the area of light drinking with the exception of the first age group AO-h9.‘ In the medium drinking group the athletes had higher percent- ages with the exception of the first age group and the athletes also had higher percentages in the heavy drinking classifi- cation. The Chi-Square technique was used in analysis of the data and it was significant at the 5% level as were the other two analyses in the area of drinking. Lacking in other studies concerning athletes and non- athletes is the area of maintenance being done around the house. In Graph XIII there is presented a comparison between the athletes and controls and their activity around the house and yard. The non-athlete had higher percentages working around the house and yard in every age group but the last and this one may not give an accurate picture due to the small number of subjects in that age group. The analysis of data proved to be statistically significant with the total Chi-Square at 17.70 and 5 degrees of freedom. There is a slight tendency for men to do less house and yard work when they reach the older age ranges, probably due to disability, old age, etc. -40- Along with those being active in yard and house maintenance a scale was devised to determine just how much work is actually done and make a comparison of the two groups on this basis. A scale of light, medium and heavy was set up (see Appendix B) and each man placed into his proper activity setting just as he answered the question on the questionnaire. A Chi-Square of 14.30 proved to be insignifi- cant but it is interesting to note in Graph XIV, that over 60% of all subjects fall into the medium classification. It is possible that the construction of the scale itself may have caused this to happen. Mowing the average American family lawn is quite a task fer many men in their forties and over even if a power mower is used. Graph XV displays a comparison of athletes and controls and the regularity with which they mow their lawns. The percentages of both groups run very close together until the last age group where the non-athletes drOp well below the 50% mark. The small number of cases in that group could easily cause the sharp drop. The data when statistically analyzed was not significant but the slight drop in activity should be noted as the men in this study reach the older ranges. In Graph XVI it appears that the athletes are slightly more inclined to work in their gardens than the controls but the difference was not significant. (Chi-Square = 3.29). The sharp drop in the last two age groups could be caused by -44- the small numbers in those two groups but it could also be caused by two other factors. The first being loss of inter- est in garden work in the later years of life, and the second possibility being too much hard work for a man in his 70's and 80's. The amount of work was also sought in this area of gardening and is presented in Graph XVII at three different activity levels of light, medium and heavy (see Appendix B). The statistical analysis proved to be sighificant with the Chi Square at 24.41 and P4L.Ol. The 70-79 age group con- tributed nearly 75% of the total Chi-Square with wide vari- ations in percentages at all three activity levels. It is interesting to note that a greater percentage of subjects do heavy work in their gardens than those doing medium work. The only graph that appears consistent is that concerned with medium activity where the athletes have higher percentages overall. Presented in Graph XVIII is the comparison of the two groups in relation to doing sitting up exercises in the winter. When analyzed by the Chi-Square technique it was found to be not quite significant at the 5% level but from the appearance of the graph the athlete group has a higher percentage doing such exercises in the winter than does the control group. This is probably a carryover value obtained from the great number of calesthenics done while competing in athletics. -h7- . When sitting up exercises were examined for the summer months in Graph XIX, the two groups did show a significant difference at the.5% level. Both groups appear to show a drop in percentage active during the summer months but the athlete percentage does not drop nearly as much as does the non-athletes. The same subjects are primarily responding to both summer and winter activity; therefore, it can be said that athletes are more consistent the year around than are the controls. Twenty-four to thirty percent of all athletes in the first two age groups do sit-up exercises the year around compared to less than 20 percent for the controls. There is also a noticeable drop in the sit-up activity as the subjects inctease in age. Hobbies are an excellent way to release excess tensions that build up within the human body and cause mental break- downs and other similar mental disturbances. In this study an attempt is made to get a list of all the hobbies each in— dividual participated in regularly and then compare the athletes with the control group for statistical differences. Plotted on Graph XX are six of the most commonly listed hobbies men- tioned by the subjects. There was no statistically signifi- cant difference between the two groups in the hobbies that they participated in, both groups active in each hobby listed at about the same percentage. Other hobbies with percentages of participation in both athlete and control groups worthy of mentioning are as follows: Music, 2.4% for athletes and -50.. 4. % for controls; Ybuth work, 3.0% for athletes and 4.4% for controls; Traveling, 2.6% for athletes and 2.5% for con- trols; Sedentary games such as cards, etc., 71.% for athletes and 4.8% for controls; Boating and boat clubs, 2.8% for athletes and 2.3% for controls; Gardening and gardening clubs, 5.6% for athletes and 4.6% for controls. It was generally true that when a subject listed any hobbies at all, he had two or three that he participated in regularly. Very few subjects listed only one hobby and many had no hobby at all. The hobby activity was grouped into occurrence of participation and placed on Graph XXI. Each degree of occurrence (once per month or more, two to three times per month or more, once weekly or more, several times weekly or more, and daily), was plotted on a graph separately and a Chi-Square was calculated to determine significance. No statistical significance was found between the athletes and non-athletes and their regularity of participation in hobbies. The same general trend can be seen in each graph with the older age groups tending to be less active in all classifi- cations except the graph which shows daily participation. It can be concluded that little difference exists between athletes and non-athletes in relation to the hobbies that they engage in or the time spent in each hobby. Sports activities of the subjects were separated into summer and winter participation and handled separately for all statistical analysis. Graph XXII presents six of -53- the most common summer sports participated in by both athletes and non-athletes with the greatest variation occurring in golf and swimming where the athletes seemed to be much more active. The other four sports plotted showed little differ- ence between athletes and controls participation. Other sport areas with relatively high percentages of partiCipation worth mentioning are as follows: Bowling, 2.1% for athletes and 2.1% for controls; Tennis, 3.2% for athletes and 2.5% for controls; Skiing, 2.1% for athletes and 2.1% for controls; and table tennis, 2.4% for athletes and 1.4% for controls. Overall, it appears that athletes participate more in the various summer sports listed than do the controls but the difference is small. The degree of participation is presented in Graph XXIII for summer sports and is categorized into three different levels of activity, (active once weekly or more, active two to three times weekly or more, and active daily). Two of the graphs show the athletes percentages above those of the controls and the third graph is evenly distributed at all age levels. Differences between athletes and non- athletes were not statistically significant. The downward trend on the weekly graphs show that the subjects as they become older do not participate as often in some of the more strenuous sports. The daily participation graph is very stable from young to old but the percentages are relatively low, all being below the 7% level. -5g- GRAPH XXIII -55- Winter sport activities in which the percentages were greatest are presented in Graph XXIV and of the six curves presented only bowling and golfing show athletes having more activity than non-athletes. Other sports with percentages worth mentioning are: Ice skating, 5.8% for athletes and 4.8% for controls; Skiing, 2.4% for athletes and 2.1% fer controls; Table tennis, 3.6% for athletes and 3.2% for con- trols. Here again in Graph XXIV there is a slight downward trend from the younger to older age ranges but not nearly as much of a trend as was evident for the summer months. For purposes of showing a better comparison of regular sport activity during the winter months between athletes and controls, three activity classifications were set up and plotted on separate graphs just as in the case of summer sport activity (Graph XXV). Here again it appears that the athletes were more active up to the daily activity graph much the same as they were for the summer months. When analyzed however, there was no statistically significant difference in the two groups of individuals. It appears that the older a person is, the less time he spends on any type of sport or hobby whether it be winter or summer. CHAPTER V SUNMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS Summary This study is a comparison between a group of former athletes from various sports who competed at Michigan State University and a control group of non-athletes picked from the records of the registrar. The athletes were letter winners between the years 1886 and 1937 and the non-athletes were selected by using a random stratified sampling technique for the same years that the athlete group won their letters. A total of 1078 questionnaires were sent. 0f the 567 athletes sent a questionnaire, 476 returned useable questionnaires and 44 relatives returned the small colored questionnaire indicating date and cause of death. Of the 511 non-athletes sent questionnaires, 437 returned useable questionnaires and 28 relatives returned the small colored questionnaire giving date and cause of death. The percentages of returns were 90.99 for the non-athletes and 92.03 for the athletes. Two followeup lettersvwxe sent out to those individuals that had not returned a questionnaire. The follow-up letters were spaced about six to eight weeks apart in hopes they would increase the number of returns. -53- -59- Every returned questionnaire was numbered the same as the address card from which it was mailed, this was done for ease in filing and ease in tabulating the information on I.B.M. cards. Next, a coding system was devised and all infbrmation was placed on tabulation sheets and then punched into I.B.M. cards. Two cards were needed to contain all the information on each subject used in the study. There were 25 graphs and two tables derived from the information punched on the cards. These 27 graphs and tables were then statistically analyzed by the use of the Chi-Square technique and the t-Test to arrive at the results of this study. Very few good studies have been done in the area of longevity. Probably the best study completed in this area was by Alan Rook(9) in 1954 on "An Investigation Into the Longevity of Cambridge Sportsmen." In Rook's study, a com— parable group of non-athletes were used as controls. When analysis was made of the data collected, there appeared .to be very little difference in the mean ages at death between the two groups. Rook also worked with an intellectual group and found that this group out-lived both the athletes and the random control group by about two years. Louis JDublin(l) completed an excellent study in 1932, "College. Idonor Men Long Lived," in which he used a comparable group of‘college subjects from which to iraw his conclusions. He ~60¢ also fOund little difference between his athletes and random control group. Dublin discovered that his group of intellec- tuals with which he was working out-lived both athletes and his control group by'a few years. Conclusions The fellowing conclusions are drawn from the results of this study: 1. 2.‘ 3. 4. 5. 6. A greater percentage of athletes smoke than non- athletes. A greater percentage of athletes drink than non- athletes. Athletes are heavier drinkers than the non- athletes. The athletes are more flexible in the types of liquor they consume than are the non-athletes. The controls have higher percentages in the beer classification but more athletes drink whiskey and also lead in the ”two or more" classification. More non-athletes do house and yard maintenance than do the athletes. A higher percentage of athletes do sit-up exercises in the summer than the control group. -61- The following areas were examined; however, they are not statistically significant. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. There was no significant difference in occupa- tional distribution fer athletes and non-athletes. There was no significant difference in occupational activity between the athletes and non-athletes. The total number of children, and the differences between athletes and non-athletes with respect to total sons and total daughters proved to be insig- nificant. There was no significant differences in marital status for athletes and non-athletes. Comparisons of athletes and controls in relation to racial distribution were insignificant. No differences were feund between athletes and non-athletes and the amount of tobacco they used. There was no significant difference between the athletes and non-athletes in relation to the per- centages of each group working in their gardens. The comparison of the athletes and non-athletes doing sitting-up exercises in the winter months *wes insignificant. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 15. -62- There was no significant difference in summer or winter sports activity between the athletes and controls. The retirement habits between athletes and non- athletes were not statistically significant. No significant differences were found when length of time spent in present occupation was examined. There was no significant difference in type of tobacco used between the athletes and non-athletes. The comparison of athletes to non-athletes concern- ing amount of work done around the house and yard was not statistically significant. No significant differences were found between the two groups when the percentage mowing their lawns was examined. No significant differences were found with re- spect to interests or activity in hobbies. Recommendations The following recommendations it is hoped will better future studies done in this area of research. l. 2. 3. 4. -63- A new questionnaire should be constructed allowing less chance fer misinterpretation of questions. In relation to the question concerning medical history, some of the subjects interpreted the question that only the examples listed were the ailments desired, whereas this was not the inten- tion of the question at all. Either a complete list of ailments should be presented or the ques- tion phrased differently. Check blanks in future questionnaire construction should never be placed in front of the questions such as was done in questions concerning race, smoking, drinking, marital status, non-vocational activity record, and the question asking if the subject had any children. In future studies, questions concerning non-voca— tional activity such as lawn mowing, house main- tainance, gardening, etc., should be stated in such a way as to get a summer-winter breakdown of activity. The questionnaire included too many areas of fruit- ful information, it is felt that fer a study similar to the one just presented, the question- naire should be more detailed and cover just a few'areas. 5. 6. -64- . Different geographical areas should be sectioned off and subjects placed in their proper areas to see if there is any relationship between longevity and morbidity and the area of the country in which the subject lives. It would also be interesting to discover the relationship of non-vocational activity to the climate in which the subject lives. In future studies, time should be allowed for a trial run of the questionnaire constructed to eliminate mistakes. 1. 2. '3. 4. S. 6. 7. 8. BIBLIOGRAPHY Dublin Louis I. "College Honor.Men Long-Lived," Sta- tistical Bulletin of the Metro litan Lif Insurance Company, I3:5-7, August, I932. Edwards, Allen L. Statistipal fi£a1%Sis for Studentg in Pszchology and E ucat on, us art an ompany, nc., OW 0r ' 0 Estimates of werker Trait Rggpirements for 4,000 Job; as ine n t e D ct onar 0 can ationa t es. . Prepared By the United States Emponment Service, U. S.Department of Labor, Bureau of Employment Security. washin on, D.C.: U. 3. Government Printing Office, no date). Karvonen, M. J., Jaakko Kihlberg, J. Maatta and J. Virka- jarvi "Lon evity of Champion Skiers," Duodecim, 1956, 72:395-903 N:0 11). '—'"""' .Montoye Henry J., wayne D. Van Huss Herbert W. Olson, William R. Pierson, and Andrew J. Hudec, "Longevity and Morbidity of College Athletes," A monograph, copyright 1957 by Phi Epsilon Kappa Frateppity. Norris, J. N., J. A. Heady, P. A. B. Raffle, C. G. Roberts and J. W. Parks, "Coronary Heart Disease and Physical Activity of werk," Lancet, 2:1053-1111, 1953. Pearl, R.. "Research Proves That Hard work Does Kill," N w Ygzk Times, Special Article, VIII, 8:1, September 7. IR . Pomeroy, William C. and Paul D. White, "Coronary Heart Disease in Former Football Players," American Medical Association Journal, #167, May-August, 1958. Rock, Alan, "An Investigation into the Longevity of Cambridge Sportsmen," British Medical Journal, No. “8659 773-777.Apr11, 1 5 e -65- -66- 10. Stamler, J., M. Kjelsberg and Y. Hall "Epidimiological Studies in Cardiovascular Renal Disease in Chicago and Illinois," Analysis of’Mortality Trends by Age, Race, Sex and Occupation, Journal of Chronic Disea es, 1960 (in ress). '11. Whitney, J. 8., "Death Rates by Occupation Based on Data of the U. S. Census Bureau, 1930," National Tubercu- losis Association, New Yerk, June 1 3 . APPENDIX A Questionnaires Covering Letters Brief Summary of Original Study -67- MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, East Lansing College of Education Department of Health Physical Education and Recreation Dear Sir: About six years ago you were sent a questionnaire which was part of a national study of the longevity and morbidity of fermer college athletes and non-athletes. I would like to take this opportunity to thank ou again for your wonderful cooperation.‘ The complete resu ts have been ublished in the form of a monograph by Phi Epsilon Kappa raternity, 3747 North Linwood, Indianapolis, Indiana, ($3.25). A brief summary of the study is one osed with this letter. we are hoping to maintain contact with the original partici- pants, all of whom are graduates of'Michigan State University. would you be kind enough to furnish us the.inf0rmation re- quested on the enclosed form. This questionnaire will re-‘ quire considerably less time than the original one. These data will be correlated with some of the information originally furnished by you. Accuracy and completeness, of course, is of great importance. If there are any items fer which you do not have the answer, please write "unknown." lMay I express in advance my appreciation fer your continued participation in this study and fer your interest in our mrke Sincerely, /s/ Henry J. Montoye Henry J . Montoye Professor ILDH:cs Enclosure -68- MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, East Lansing College of Education Department of Health Physical Wducation and Recreation Dear Sir: About seven weeks ago you were sent a questionnaire from the Physical Education Department here at Michigan State University. The uestionnaire was in connection with our ' followbup study 0 the longevity and morbidity of male gradu- ates of Michigan State university. The results of this study are important because they will have a bearing on the administration of future sports programs. It is necessary for us to get as many returns from the participants of this study as possible. il you take the few moments necessary to give us the answers we so urgently need to make this study a success? we are anxiously awaiting your re ply. ”W Since you may have misplaced our questionnaire, I have included another copy. Thank you for your cooperation. Sincerely yours, /s/ Henry J. Mbntoye Henry J. Mbntoye Professor lhflfi:mb Enclosure -69- MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, East Lansing College of Education Department of Health Physical Education and Recreation Dear Sir: Approximately eight weeks ago you were sent a questionnaire concerning a longevity and morbidity study being conducted here at Michigan State by the Physical Education Department. Five weeks later you were sent a fellow-up letter, but we have still not received your return. Your attention to this, matter would be appreciated very much. From the careful follow-up we are making, it must be evident that this study is of great importance, not only to those of us here at Michigan State, ut to people all over the world. we are sure you would like to be a part of this re- search. If by chance, your questionnaire has been misplaced or did not reach you, we are sending you another copy. Thank you fer your cooperation. Yours truly, /s/ Henry J. Mbntoye Henry J. Mbntoye Professor HJthmb Enclosure -70- Longevity and Morbidity of College Athletes: Brief Summary Questionnaires prepared by a national study committee were mailed to l,lZ9.Michigan State University ath etes who earned varsity letters prior to 1938 and to a like number of non-letter winners matched by period of school attendance. Responses were received from 628 athletes and 563 controls or their next of kin. The data were tabulated and statis- tically analyzed with the aid of IBM punch cards and equip- ment. A brief summary of the findings together with those of previous studies is presented below under the major areas investigated. Lengevity There was no appreciable difference in the longevity of athletes and non-athletes. The superiority in favor of athletes reported previously was due to inadequate controls used for comparison. There were insufficient numbers to compare athletes by sport specialty. cagges of Death There is considerable evidence in the literature that men who received distinction in sports are more prone to die from violent deaths (war deaths, accidents, suicides). There is no evidence of any other difference in cause of deatg. Again, athletes in various sports have not been com- Pare e dical H s 0 There has never been an adequate comparison of the medical histories of athletes and non-athletes. There is some indication that coronary thrombosis, hypertension, and arteriosclerosis occur at a later age among athletes. Hereditary Higtogy No differences were observed in average age at death of grandparents, parents, or siblings of athletes compared to non-athletes. There is convincing evidence that athletes come from larger families than non-athletes. The difference is accounted for by the number of brothers and not the number of sisters in the family. There is also a tendency among athletes for wrestlers to come from larger families and tennis players from smaller families. As in the medical and other portions of the hereditary histories, the differences among sports appear greater than the differences between athletes and non-athletes. -71- -72- weight in College It is clear that athletes are heavier in college than non-athlete controls. The average weight of letter winners has steadily increased over the years whereas the increase of the controls is not nearly so pronounced. wrestlers and football layers were appreciably heavier and tennis pla ers, track ath etes, and cross-country runners lighter in col ege. wgight Gain Since College Between graduation from-college and about the age of 35, the non-athletes gained about seventeen pounds on the average, whereas the athletes during this period gained only a little more than half this amount. However, the non- athletes show little gain after this age, but the athletes continue to gain until at about #5 years of age and thereafter the weight gain of athletes is greater. Economic Status There is appreciable evidence that athletes are more successful after graduation from college if one accepts the criteria of financial income and frequency of appearance on lists of eminent graduates. However, graduates who are active while on the campus in activities other than sports appear to fare about as well. Marital SI, Q1328 A There appears to be no significant difference between athletes and non-athletes in percent who get married. The percentage among tennis players, however, is appreciably lower than other sports. Smoking Habits A larger proportion of fermer athletes smoke than is true of other graduates. However, among those who do smoke, there is no appreciable difference in degree or form of tobacco use. Among sports there is no significant difference in percent who smoke or in degree, but a disproprotionately lar e number of fermer baseball players chew tobacco and an unusuaI- ly large percentage of pipe smokers were found among the cross- country runners. Sgrvice in the Armed Forces There is no decided difference in percent of athletes or non—athletes who saw service in the armed forces, but more 173- athletes served during both world wars than was true fer the non-athletes. There is also some evidence that their activity was more vigorous while in service than that of the controls. It is clear that a greater proportion of the athletes saw service in the navy and marine corps. The differences by sport in any of these service factors were not significant. Evaluation of Athletics There_is overwhelming evidence that both athletes and controls consider participation in intercollegiate athletics beneficial. -71,- (This is a copy of the green slip attached to the top of the questionnaire.) If addressee is deceased, please furnish the four items of infbrmation on this colored questionnaire. The larger ques- tionnaire may be disregarded. Thank you. Name of Addresses Cause or Causes of Death Date of Death Place of Death (City and State) Michigan State University Department of Health Physical Education and Recreation FOLLOWAUP STUDY OF LONCEVITY AND MORBIDITY OF MALE GRADUAGES OF MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY NAME OF ALmMNUS (please print) Date PRESENT ADDRESS MARITAL STATUS (check one) __ Married __Single ___Widowed ___Divorced PRESENT WEIGHT *lbs. If your weight has changed more than 15 lbs. within the last 7 years please explain RACE __ White __ Negro __ Other PRESENT OCCUPATION From l9__ to 19__ ANY PREVIOUS FULL TIME OCCUPATIONS: 1. From l9_ to l9_ 2. Ag From.l9: to 19: .39 From 19: to 19: A. From 19: to 19: SMOKING HABITS: (please check only those which‘ apply) Smoke _Do Not Smoke TIf you do not smoke please disregard the remaining ques- tions in this section) Cigaretts: 1e L683 than it 2. i to 1 pack per day_ 3. Over 1 pack per day_ Cigars 1. Less than 3 per day __ 2. 3 to 6 per day 3. Over 6 per day Pipe 1. Less than A bowls a day_ 2. A to 10 bowls per day_ 3. Over 10 bowls per day_ DRINKING HABITS: (please check only those which apply) Drink Do Not Drink If—you do not udrink please pack per day __. -75- disregard the remaining ques- tions in this section) Beer 1. Occasional bottle 2. l to 3 bottles per—day_ 3. Over 3 bottles per day_ Wine 1. Occasional glass other than for religious use __, 2. Daily but less than £ bott e 3. Over é SEttle per day __ Whiskey (gin etc.) Occasional glass 1 to 3 shots per day __ A to 6 shots per day __ Over 6 shots per day _ 2. 3. h. ~76- Chew - 1. Less than i pack per day __ 2. i to 3/4 pack per day __ 3. Over 3/A pack per day __ LONGEVITY OF BROTHERS AND SISTERS: (If any of your brothers or sisters have died in the past 7 years please furnish in- formation requested) Relationship Cause of Death Age at Death Brothers Sisters MEDICAL HISTORY: What ailments have you had in the last 7 years? (Examples - Coronary Thrombosis, High Blood Pressure, Cancer, Diabetes, T.B., etc.) - A e at 0,6 ance ..E____.__.\.1_II.... 1. 2. 3. A. FAMILY: Do you have any children? Yes No (If your answer is 1gg_please furniEE-informEEIon requested) Sons: Number living Number deceased’ , Age and cause of death Daughters: Number living Number deceasedw , Age and cause of death *7 NON-VOCATIONAL ACTIVITY RECORD FOR THE PAST YEAR: 1. Do you: __Mow' our own lawn? Do other yard or house maintainence? Please describeT— 2. Do u: Have a garden? What do you do in connection wit this?— 3. Do you: __Do any sitting up exercises in the winter? In the summer? How long does each session Iast? When was the last time? e t before that? gg . A. 5. -77- Do you walk or bike to work? HOW'often? How far? Do you have any hobbies or engage in other non-vocational work or recreation regularly? EXCLUDING SPORTS. (Please list below) Hobby or activity a. b. Ce de 6e What Sports did summer months? Sport 8e How often do you participate ou engage in regglarli during the past Please use the 3 When was the How'often b. last time Ce d. .e 7_e What Sports did winter months? Sport a. Please use the When was the How‘often last time b. Ce d} 0e f. - LIST OF SP RTS ACTIVITIES Angling(fishing) CurIIng Ice BoatIng t low as a guide) The time before that ‘— ou engaged in re larl during the past IIst EeIow as a guide) The time before - that Skeet and/or Archery Fencing J ai Alai trap shooting Badminton Field Ball JuJuitsu Skiing Baseball Football Lawn Bowling Snow Shoeing Basketball Golf Mountain Squash Rackets Bicycling Gymnastics climbing Swimming Birling Handball Paddle Tennis Table Tennis Bob-Sledding Hiking Polo (horse Tennis Bowling Hockey(field) Polo (water Track and Field Boxing Hockey (ice) Rowing and Trapping Canoeing Horseback sculling Volley Ball Codeball Riding Sailing walking Competitive Criket Hunting Shuffleboard weight Lifting Cross-Country Hurling Skating ice) wrestling Skating roller) APPENDIX B IBM Coding Plan -73- Columns 9-10 11-12 13 lb 15-17 18 19 CARD A Serial Number Athlete (l), None-Athlete (2) Year of birth (coded in five year intervals): 1855-9 (01), l860-A (02), 1865-9 (03), 1870-t (04), 1875-9 (05), 1880-A (06), 1885-9 (07), l890-A (08), 1895-9 (09). 1900-h (10). 1905-9 (11), 1910-h (12). 1915-9 (13) ' Over-all activity rating (see coded classification in appendix) Classification of present occupation: (see coded list of occupations in appendix) Race: No response (x), White (1), Negro (2), Other (3) ' Marital Status: No response (x), Single (1), Married (2), Widowed (3), Divorced (4) Present weight: No response (xxx), weight presented by exact numerical figures, example - 1A7 pounds is shown 147 Weight Change: No response (x), None (0), Gained more than l5 lbs. (1), Lost more than 15 lbs. (2) Smoking Habits: No response (x), Don't smoke (O), Cigarettes (1), Cigars (2), Pipe (3), Chew (A), Two or more (5) I -79- Columns 20 21 22 23-2h 25-26 27-30 31-35 -30- Smoking: No response (x), None (0), Light (1), Median (2), Heavy (3): (0n the questionnaire under each type of tobacco there are three possible answer blanks, these blanks have been given labels of light, medium and heavy. When a combination of answers occurred, the following code was used to determine under which classification each man fell): 1-3 lights is classified as a light 1 light and 1 medium is classified as medium 2 light and 1 medium is classified as a medium 1 medium is classified as a medium 2-3 mediums are classified as a heavy any heavy is classified as a heavy . Drinking Habits: No response (x), Don't drink (0), Beer (1), Wine (2), Whiskey (3). Two or more (A). Drinking: No response (x), None (0), Light (1), Medium (2), Heavy (3), (Same as column 20) Deceased brothers lst: No response (xx), None de- ceased (OO), (fer cause of death, see coded list of causes of death in appendix) Deceased brothers lst: No response (xx), None de- ceased (00), Age at death (01-99) Deceased brothers 2nd: No response (xx), None de- ceased (00), Cause and age at death Deceased brothers 3rd: No response (xx), None de- ceased (OO) Cause and age at death Columns 35-36 37-38 39-42. h3-h6 A7-A8 h9-50 51-5h 55-58 59-62 63 6h -31- Deceased sisters lst: No response (xx), None de- ceased (OO), (For cause of death, see coded list of causes of death in appendix) Deceased sisters lst: No response (xx), None de- ceased (00) Age at death (01-99) Deceased sisters 2nd: No response (xx), None de- ceased (00), Cause and age at death Deceased sisters 3rd: No response (xx), None de- ceased (OO), Cause and age at death Ailments in past 7 years, lst: No response (xx), None (00), Ailments (01-59) (see codedlist of ail- ments in appendix) Ailments lst: No response (xx), None (00), Age at occurrence (01-99) . Ailments 2nd: No response (xx), None (00), Ailment and age at occumrance Ailments 3rd: No response (xx), None (00), Ailment and age at occurrence Ailments Ath: No response (xx), None (OO), Ailment and age at occurrence Any children: No response (x), Yes (1), No (2) Number of sons living: No response (x), No children or none living (0), one (1), two (2), three (3), feur (A), five (5), etc. Columns 65 66-67 68-69 70-73 7h-77 78 79 8O -32- Number of sons deceased: No response (x), No Children or none living (0), one (1), two (2), three (3). feur (A), five (5), etc. Deceased sons lst: No response (xx), None deceased (00), (For cause of death see coded list of causes of death in appendix) Deceased sons lst: No response (xx), None deceased (00), Age at death (01-99) Deceased sons 2nd: No response (xx), None deceased (00), Cause and age at death Deceased sons 3rd: No response (xx), None deceased (00), Cause and age at death I Number of daughters living: No response (x), No children or none living (0), one (1), two (2), three (3), feur (A), five (5), etc. Number of daughters deceased: No response (x), No children or none deceased (0), one (1), two (2), three (3), four (A), five (5), etc. Card Number A Columns 1-5 7-8 9-10 11-12 13' Serial Number Athlete (l), None-Athlete (2) Year of birth (coded in five year intervals): 1855-9 (01), 1860-A (02), 1865-9 (03). 1870-A (0h), 1875-9 (05), l880-A(06), 1885-9 (07), 1890-A (08). 1895-9 (09). 1900-A (10). 1905-9 (11). 1910-A (12). 1915-9 (13) Overall activity rating (see coded classification in appendix) Classification of present occupation: (See coded list of occupations in appendix) ' Activity rating of present occupation: No response (x), Retired (0), Insufficient infermation (l), Sedentary (2), Light (3). Medium (4), Heavy (5). Very Heavy (6): (These classifications were recorded from.the estimates of worker trait requirements as defined in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles)* Length in present occupation: No response (x), No occupation (0), Less than 1 year (1), one to three years (2), three to five years (3). five to ten years (A), ten to fifteen years (5), fifteen to twenty years (6), twenty to twenty-five years (7). and over twenty-five years (8) *Estimates of werker Trait Requirements for A1000 Job:i :8 P a- defined in the Dictionary of Occupational Tit es (en betical index), United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Employment Security; Prepared by U.S. Employment Service. -33- Columns 15-16 17 18 19-20 21 22 23-2A 25-26 27-30 31-3h 35 -34- Classification of let previous occupation: (same as 11-12) Activity rating of lst previous occupation: No re- sponse (x), No occupation and insufficient information (0), Sedentary (1). Light (2), Medium (3), Heavy (A), Very Heavy (5) V Length in lst previous occupation: (same as 1h) Classification of 2nd previous occupation: (same as 11-12) Activity rating of 2nd previous occupation: (same as 17) Length in 2nd previous occupation: (same as 1A) Deceased daughters lst: No response (xx), None de- ceased (OO), (For cause of death, see coded list of causes of death in appendix) Deceased daughters lst: No response (xx), None de- ceased (OO), Age at death (01-99) (children less than 1, classified as 01) Deceased daughters 2nd: No response (xx), None de- ceased (OO), Cause and age at death Deceased daughters 3rd: No response (xx), None de- ceased (OO), Cause and age at death Mow your own lawn; No response (x), No (0), Occasional (1), Yes, regularly (A) Columns 36 37 38 -35- Do other house and yard maintainence: No response (x), None (0), Light (2), Medium (A), Heavy (8): (The breakdown into categories of light, medium and heavy are as follows) Light - Minor repairs only, limited amounts Medium - Does house and yard maintainence, but ' gives no discription, active but insuffici- ent information, does a lot but not all of Heavy -136es all yard and house maintainence Have a garden and work done in connection with garden: No response (x), None (0), Light (3), Medium (5), Heavy (7) (The breakdown into categories of light, medium, and heavy are as follows) Light - Plants and maintains Medium - Plants, maintains and harvests Heavy - Prepares ground, plants, maintains, harvests and cleans up ground after harvest Sitting up exercises in winter: No response (x), None (0), About once per week, less than feur minutes per workout (l), About once per week, four to ten minutes per workout (2), About once per week, ten minutes or more per workout (3). Several times per week, less than four minutes per workout (A). Several times per week, four to ten minutes per workout (5), Several times per week, ten minutes or more per workout (6), Daily, less than feur minutes per workout (7), Daily, four to ten minutes per workout (8), Daily, ten minutes or more per workout (9) Columns 39 40 A1-A2 A3 hh-AS #6 A7-A8 -86- Sitting up exercises in Summer: (same as 38) walk or bike to work (including as a hobby): No response (x), No (0), Once per week, six blocks or less (1), Once per week, seven through twelve blocks (2), Once per week, thirteen blocks or over (3), Several times-per week, six blocks or less (A), Several times per week, seven through twelve blocks (5), Several times per week, thirteen blocks or over (6), Daily, six blocks or less (7), Daily, seven through twelve blocks (8), Daily, thirteen blocks or over (9) ‘ Hobbies and non-vocational activity lst: (See coded list of hobbies in appendix) Occurrence of participation in let hobby: No response (x), None (0), Hobbies yes, but no information as to time spent (1), Less than once per month (2), Once per month (3), Two or three times per month (A), ,Once weekly (5), several times weekly (regularly) (6) Daily (7) Hobbies and non-vocational activity, 2nd hobby: (same as Al-AZ) Occurrence of participation in 2nd hobby: (same as A3) Hobbies and non-vocational activity, 3rd hobby: (same as Al-A2) Columns A9 50-51 52 53-5A I 55 56-57 58 59-60 61 62-63 6A 65-66 -37- Occurranoe of participation in 3rd hobby: (same Hobbies and non-vocational activity, Ath hobby: as Al-AZ) Occurneme of participation in Ath hobby: A3) Sports engagements in summer months, lst (See coded list of spOrts in appendix) Occurrence of participation in lst sport: as A3) (same (same as sport: No response (x), None (0), Less than once per month (1), Once monthly (2), Two to three times monthly (3), Once weekly (A), Two to three times weekly (6), Once every two days (8), Daily (9) . Sports engagements in summer months, 2nd (same as 53-54) Occurrence of participation in 2nd sport: Sports engagements in summer months, 3rd as 53-5A) Occur-name of participation in 3rd sport: 55) sport: (same sport: (same Sports engagements in summer months, Ath sport: (same as 53-5A) Occurrenn of participation in Ath sport: 55) (same Sports engagements in winter months, lst sport: (See coded list of sports in appendix) as 55) (same as' as -33- Columns 67 Occurrence of participation in lst winter sport: No response (x), None (0), Less than once per month (1), Once monthly (2), Two to three times monthly (3), Once weekly (A). Two to three times weekly (6), Once every two days (8), Daily (9) 68-69 Sports engagements in winter months, 2nd sport: (same as 65-66 1 7O Occurrence of participation in 2nd sport: (same as 1 67) 71-72 Sports engagements in winter months, 3rd sport: (same as 65-66) 73 Occurrence of participation in 3rd sport: ' (same as 67) I 7A-75 Sports engagements in winter months, Ath sport: (same as 65-66) 76 Occurrence of participation in Ath sport: (same as 67) ' 77 Seasons of non-vocational activities: No activities (0), Predominantly summer (1), Predominantly winter (2), Distributed year around (3), If the total of either the winter or the summer weighted sports ex- ceeded the other by two or more points, then the activity for that man would be classified as pre- dominantly summer or predominantly winter. If only one point separated the two (summer and winter) when Columns 73-79 80 -89- weights were totaled, then the activities or sports were considered distributed. If a man had only one sport in one of the two seasons and this sport happened to have a weight of only one, the man was marked as no activity. Non-vocational activity rating: (No activity (0), Sedentary (1), Light (2), Medium (3), Heavy (A), Very heavy (5): (see coded classification for non- vocational activity rating in appendix) Card Number 5 I CLASSIFICATION OF AILMENTS No response No ailments , Tuberculosis of respiratory system Tuberculosis, other forms Syphilis and its sequelae Hemorrhoids Dysentery, all forms Other infective diseases commonly arising in intestinal track Certain diseases common among children 7a Scarlet fever 7b Diphtheria 7c Whooping cough 7d Measles 7e Mumps, Low blood pressure Malaria Diseases due to helminths All other diseases classified as infective and parsitic Malignant neoplasms, including neOplasms of lymphatic and haemato oietic tissues Benign neop same and neOplasms of unspecified nature Allergic disorders Diseases of thyroid gland Diabetes mellitus Arteriosclerosis Anemias Psychoneuroses and psychoses Vascular lesions effecting central nervous system Diseases of the eye Diseases of ear and mastoid process Rheumatic fever Chronic rheumatic heart disease Other arteriosclerotic and degenerative heart disease Hypertensive disease Diseases of veins Acute nasopharyngitis (common cold) Acute pharyngitis and tonsillitis, and hypertrophy of tonsils and adenoids Influenza Pneumonia Bronchitis Silicosis and occupational pulmonary fibrosis All other respiratory diseases Diseases of stomach and duodenum, except cancer Appendicitis Hernia of abdominal cavity -90- -91- Diarrhea and enteritis Diseases of gall bladder and bile ducts Other diseases of digestive system Nephritis and nephrosis Diseases of genital organs, male and female Delivery complications of pregnancy, childbirth and puerperium A3a Normal deliveries A3b Complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium Boil, abscess, cellulitis and other skin infections Other diseases of skin Arthritis and rheumatism, except rheumatic fever Diseases of bones and.other organs of movement Congenital malformations and diseases peculiar to early infancy Other specified and ill-defined diseases Motor vehicle accidents All other accidents Violence--0perations of war, etc., all others Prostate All other heart diseases All other vascular diseases Nervous disorders and psychiatric cases Angina pectoris Coronary thrombosis Avitaminosis and other deficiency states CODED LIST OF SPORTS No response No sport Angling (fishing) Archery Badminton Baseball Basketball Bicycling Bir ing . Bob-sledding Bowling Boxing Canoein Codebal Cricket Cross-country Curling Fencing Fieldball Fishing Football Golf Gymnastics Handball Hiking Hockey (field) Hockey (ice) Horseback riding Horseshoe pitching Hunting Hurling Ice Boating Jai Alai Jujitsu Lawn Bowling Mountain climbing Paddle tennis Polo horse; Polo water Rowing and sculling Sailing -92- -93- Shuffleboard Skating (ice) Skating (roller, small) Skeet and/or trap shooting Skiing Snow'shoeing Squash rackets Swimming Table tennis Tennis Track and field Trapping Volley ball walking (competitive) Weight lifting wrestling Blank Unknown CLASSIFICATION OF CAUSES OF DEATH* No response No death Tuberculosis of respiratory system Tuberculosis, other ferms Syphilis and its sequelae Typhoid fever Cholera Dysentery, all forms Scarlet fever and streptococcal sore throat Diphtheria WhOOping cough Meningococcal infections Plague Acute poliomyelitis Smallpox Measles Typhus Malaria All other diseases classified as infective and parasitic Malignant neoplasm, including neOplasms of lymphatic and hematopoietic tissues Benign and unspecified neoplasms Diabetes mellitus Anemias Vascular lesions affecting central nervous system Meningitis Rheumatic fever Chronic rheumatic heart disease Arteriosclerotic and degenerative heart disease Other diseases of the heart Hypertension with heart disease Hypertension without mention of heart Influenza Pneumonia Bronchitis Ulcer of stomach and duodenum Appendicitis Intestinal obstruction and hernia Gastritis, duodenitis, enteritis and colitis, except diarrhea of newborn *Reference: Manual of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Injuries and Causes of Death, Sixth Revision, l9A8, Vol. I and II, World Health Organiza- tion, Geneva, Switzerland. Bulletin of the WHO, Supplement -94- -95- Cirrhosis of liver Nephritis and nephrosis Hyperplasis of prostate , Complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium Congenital malformations Birth injuries, postnatal asphyxia and atelectasis Infections of the newborn Other diseases peculiar to early infancy and immaturity unqualified Senility without mention of psychosis, ill-defined and unknown cases All other diseases Motor vehicle accidents All other accidents Suicide and self-inflicted injury Homicide and operations of war \OQQOWPWNHO MWVMVMMVV‘J HHFHHHHOOOOOOOOOOE mm bowl-‘0 HOBBY AREAS No response None Wood working Lecturing Cooking Spectator Shooting (pistol and rifle) Active Construction Reading Studying writing Music Church, Organizations, Civic Groups and Politics Youth werk Trustees, commissioners and office duties Other occupations (part time) Creative arts Traveling Dancing and Dancing Clubs Photography S rt officiating E ectronics Mechanical Forestry and Lumbering Sedentary games Collecting guns and gun smithing Music listening Poultry Boating and bo ting clubs Collecting and7or mounting small items Camping and associated activities Antiques Astronomy Training animals Flying Pool and billiards Gardening and gardening clubs walking Other hobbies -96- MWAMAAAWA O‘U'! WNHOOflQOfl-fi WNI-‘O oo O‘U!¥"\»NHO WVUWUVMMMWV OCCUPATION AREAS No response No previous occupations Retired Engineers - Professional people, Dr.'s, lawyers, etc. Teaching Educational administration Managerial Jobs Advisors and Consultants Supervisory and Foremanship Jobs Inspection werk Banking and Investments Buyers Contractors Scientists Sales Office Personnel Literary Work Ministry Agriculture Agents (including extension agents) Skilled workers (non-labor) Skilled labor Unskilled labor Armed Services Foresters Farmers Professional Sports Others JAN-seesaw TY B "NT/N :1) Nu] my: ()1) H1)! 17le