Physical activity, fatness, educational level and snuff consumption as determinants of semen quality: Findings of the ActiART study
Open accessAbstract
In this study, the association between physical activity and other potential determinants, objectively measured by accelerometry, was examined. Sixty-two men attending an infertility clinic participated in the study. Obese men (body mass index ≥ 30) and those with a waist circumference 102 cm or more had lower semen volume than the other men (P < 0.05). Higher values in sperm parameters were observed in participants who completed university studies and those who did not consume snuff, compared with the other participants (P < 0.05). Finally, men who spent an average number of 10 min-bouts of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity had significantly better semen quality than those who engaged in low or high numbers of bouts of activity (P < 0.05). No associations were found for sedentary or moderate-to-vigorous physical activity time when it was not sustained over 10 min, i.e. not in bouts. Men who have average levels of physical activity over sustained periods of 10 min are likely to have better semen quality than men who engage in low or high levels of such activity. Similarly, high levels of total and central adiposity, low educational level and snuff consumption are negatively related to semen quality.
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Socioeconomic status has been reported negatively associated with semen quality.
“which has been reported negatively associated with semen quality, 8”
From Decreased sperm counts in Swedish users of oral tobacco (2022) · cites this paper as [8]
In “Educational level, snuff consumption and semen quality” (page unavailable), the paper reports earlier studies finding that higher education was associated with lower semen quality. Education is only one aspect of socioeconomic status, however, and the ActiART study found the opposite association in its own sample. (LLM, conf=0.82)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredA study by Pärn et al. in men recruited from a fertility clinic reported that men who used snuff had lower sperm counts and motility than non-users.
“However, a study by Pärn et al. in men recruited from a fertility clinic (in which 17 men used snuff) has reported that men who used snuff had lower sperm counts and motility than the non‐users. 8”
From Decreased sperm counts in Swedish users of oral tobacco (2022) · cites this paper as [8]
Our article included a higher number of snuff-users than the articles by Pärn et al., Richthoff et al., and Holmboe et al., and thus possibly had a greater statistical power.
“In comparison to the articles by Pärn et al., 8 Richthoff et al. 16 and Holmboe et al., 7 our article included a higher number of snuff‐users, and thus possibly had a greater statistical power.”
From Decreased sperm counts in Swedish users of oral tobacco (2022) · cites this paper as [8]
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Cites
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Flagged first, then by citations
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Sorted by citations
Ibañez-Perez, J., Santos-Zorrozua, B., Lopez-Lopez, E., Matorras, R., & Garcia-Orad, A. (2019) · Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics · doi:10.1007/s00404-019-05045-8 · Cited by 70 · see citing works
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Decreased sperm counts in Swedish users of oral tobacco
Kimblad, A., Ollvik, G., Lindh, C. H., & Axelsson, J. (2022) · Andrology · doi:10.1111/andr.13198 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
- Authors
- Pärn, T., Grau Ruiz, R., Kunovac Kallak, T., Ruiz, J. R., Davey, E., Hreinsson, J., Wånggren, K., Salumets, A., Sjöström, M., Stavreus-Evers, A., Ortega, F. B., & Altmäe, S.
- Affiliations
- Karolinska Institutet (SE)
- Universidad de Granada (ES)
- Uppsala University (SE)
- Competence Centre on Health Technologies (Estonia) (EE)
- Corresponding author
- Altmäe, Signe
- ORCID
- Venue
- Reproductive BioMedicine Online
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2015-07
- Volume
- 31
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 108-119
- ISSN
- 1472-6483 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2105492336
- Cited by
- 40
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 7 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 2
- FWCI
- 3.45
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Reproductive BioMedicine Online (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Institutional Repository of the University of Granada (University of Granada) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Funders
- Karolinska Institutet (2011FoBi1184)
- Archimedes Foundation (16-3.5/1080)
- Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (RYC-2010-05957, RYC-2011-09011)
- European Research Council (329812)
- Uppsala University
- Family Planning Foundation, Uppsala
- Estonian Ministry of Education and Research (SF0180044s09)
- Enterprise Estonia (EU30020)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Sperm and Testicular Function
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Male Reproductive Health Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Reproductive Health and Technologies
- Keywords
- semen quality, physical activity, educational attainment, obesity, adiposity, waist circumference, semen parameters, semen volume, infertility, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, activity bouts, sedentary behavior
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Body Composition, Educational Status, Humans, Male, Motor Activity, Tobacco, Smokeless, Body Mass Index, Reproductive Techniques, Assisted, Semen Analysis, Waist Circumference
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