Abstract
BackgroundIt has been advocated that older adults should concomitantly spend less time in sedentary behaviour (SB), and engage in sufficient physical activity (PA), to reduce their risk of cardio-metabolic diseases. However, it is not clear what intensity of PA must be done to offset SB engagement.AimModel how cardio-metabolic profiles could change if older adults replaced an hour per day (hr·day-1) of a physical behaviour intensity with 1 hr·day-1 of another physical behaviour of a different intensity.MethodsOlder adults (n = 93, 60–89 years old, 55% female) wore a thigh-mounted triaxial accelerometer for seven consecutive free-living days to estimate mean daily hourly engagement in SB, Standing, Light Intensity PA (LIPA), sporadic moderate to vigorous physical activity (sMVPA, bouts <10 continuous minutes), and 10-minute MVPA (10MVPA, bouts ≥10 continuous minutes. Fasting whole blood concentration of plasma glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, and glycated haemoglobin (%), along with serum concentration of lipoprotein lipase (LPL), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and procollagen III N-terminal propeptide (PIIINP) were measured.ResultsIsotemporal Substitution, with covariate adjustment, suggested that: total cholesterol concentration could theoretically decrease when 1 hr·day-1 of SB is replaced with Standing, when 1 hr.day-1 of LIPA is replaced with Standing, and when 1 hr·day-1 of sMVPA is replaced with Standing. Triglyceride concentration theoretically decreased when 1 hr·day-1 of SB, Standing, LIPA, or sMVPA is replaced with 10MVPA. Triglyceride concentration theoretically increases when 1 hr·day-1 of 10MVPA is replaced with SB, Standing, or LIPA. No associations with time reallocation appears to exist for LPL, HbA1c, IL-6, and PIIINP.ConclusionThe type of physical behaviour being replaced could be crucial for total cholesterol maintenance. Engagement in 10MVPA could be necessary to improve triglyceride concentration.
Highlights
In the past, attitudes to physical activity recommendation for older adults was that “some physical activity is better than none” [1]
The type of physical behaviour being replaced could be crucial for total cholesterol maintenance
Guidelines have been more detailed so that in the United Kingdom for instance, the recommendations are that older adults should engage in at least 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) through the accumulation of bouts of at least 10 minutes (10MVPA) [1]
Summary
Attitudes to physical activity recommendation for older adults was that “some physical activity is better than none” [1]. Guidelines have been more detailed so that in the United Kingdom for instance, the recommendations are that older adults should engage in at least 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) through the accumulation of bouts of at least 10 minutes (10MVPA) [1] Reaching this target is thought to reduce the risk of cardiovascular mortality by 35% [2]. Epidemiological studies have suggested that physical behaviour at intensities below MVPA could modulate cardiovascular disease risk factors, such as plasma triglycerides and glucose [6,7,8] Implementation of these findings by end-users would require a change in their habitual physical behaviour profile that, in a 24-hour day, would reduce the amount of time they could spend engaging in other physical behaviours. It is not clear what intensity of PA must be done to offset SB engagement
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