Final answer:
The Harvard Alumni Study conducted by Dr. Ralph Paffenbarger and colleagues assessed the impact of a sedentary lifestyle on 17,000 male alumni, revealing that physical activity greatly reduces the risk of heart disease.
Step-by-step explanation:
The case study that controlled other coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors to identify the effect of a sedentary lifestyle on 17,000 male alumni was conducted by Dr. Ralph Paffenbarger and colleagues at Harvard University. This landmark study began in the 1960s and was instrumental in demonstrating the importance of physical activity for heart health. While it's not mentioned in the provided reference texts, Paffenbarger's work is widely known in the field of epidemiology and public health. The Harvard Alumni Study, as it is often called, found that a sedentary lifestyle was one of several risk factors that contributed to the development of CHD. The study also showed that even moderate amounts of regular physical activity could significantly reduce the risk of heart disease.