ABSTRACT
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in Iran for both men and women. The risk factors for CVD include age, family history, current cigarette smoking, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus, and a sedentary lifestyle (White et al., 2001). While some of these risk factors are non-modifiable (e.g. age and family history), the majority of risk factors are modifiable by means of lifestyle changes in diet and physical activity level. Physical activity may positively influence the risk factors associated with CVD in both men and women (Hespel et al., 1987; Parkkari et al., 2000).
