Light-intensity Physical Activity Research Articles

Correction to: Sedentary Behavior and Light-intensity Physical Activity During Pregnancy and Cardiovascular Health: A Science Advisory From the American Heart Association.

Correction to: Sedentary Behavior and Light-intensity Physical Activity During Pregnancy and Cardiovascular Health: A Science Advisory From the American Heart Association.

A Telehealth Physical Therapy Intervention to Increase Physical Activity in Adults With Knee OA: The Delaware PEAK Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether a remotely delivered physical therapy exercise and education intervention with daily step goals increased moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) compared to a control. DESIGN: Assessor-blinded superiority randomized controlled trial with 2 parallel arms. METHODS: We included adults from the United States who met the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence osteoarthritis (OA) criteria. Participants were randomized to the intervention of five 45- to 60-minute video conferencing consultations with a physical therapist for strengthening exercises, step goals, and education over 12 weeks or a control of OA web-based resources. The primary outcome was change in MVPA over 12 weeks (measured with ActiGraph GT3X). The secondary and exploratory outcomes were changes in light-intensity physical activity, steps/day, treatment beliefs, pain, function in activities of daily living, function in sports and recreation, and quality of life over 12 and 24 weeks. RESULTS: Of 103 participants who were randomized, 88 had monitor data at baseline and 67 (76% of 88) had monitor data at 12 weeks. There were no between-group differences in MVPA change over 12 weeks (between-group difference, -1.8 min/day; 95% confidence interval: -7.0, 3.3), change in light-intensity physical activity, or steps/day. Pain and function improved more with the intervention group compared to the control. A greater number of intervention participants (n= 44) reported nonserious adverse events than the control group (n =10). CONCLUSION: Incorporating daily step goals into a telehealth strength exercise and education program for people with knee OA did not increase MVPA. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2025;55(5):1-9. Epub 20 March 2025. doi:10.2519/jospt.2025.13132.

Association of reallocating time between physical activity and sedentary behavior on the risk of depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background and aimsSedentary behavior (SB) is a prevalent lifestyle factor and a risk factor for various health conditions, including depression (encompassing both clinically diagnosed depressive disorders and depressive symptoms). This study aimed to summarize the estimated impact of reallocating time spent in SB to light-intensity physical activity (LPA) or moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) on the risk of depression from observational studies, as well as the impact of reallocating time spent in MVPA and LPA to SB.MethodsFour databases [PubMed, Scopus, SPORTdiscus, and PsycINFO (via EBSCOhost platform)] were searched and analyzed for relevant studies published up to August 2024. Meta-analyses were performed on the estimated regression coefficients (b) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for depression symptom scores. All statistical analyses were performed using STATA 16.0.ResultsTwenty-seven studies involving 702,755 participants met the inclusion criteria. Reallocating SB to LPA and MVPA was significantly associated with reductions in depression risk (b = −0.04, 95% CI = −0.06 to −0.03, p < 0.001; b = −0.11, 95% CI = −0.19 to −0.03, p = 0.004). Subgroup analyses indicated that reallocating 30 and 60 min of SB to LPA or MVPA was significantly associated with reduced depression risk, with significant differences in PA intensity and age, but not for 10 and 15 min groups. Conversely, reallocating LPA and MVPA to SB was significantly associated with increased depression risk (b = 0.11, 95% CI = 0.01 to 0.21, p = 0.039; b = 0.17, 95% CI = 0.08 to 0.25, p < 0.001). Subgroup analyses indicated that reallocating 30 min of LPA or MVPA to SB was significantly associated with increased depression risk, with no difference in PA intensity.ConclusionsReallocating SB to PA was beneficial, whereas reallocating PA to SB was detrimental to the risk of depression. The results highlight the importance of considering PA intensity and duration in the development of behavioral guidelines aimed at reducing the risk of depression.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=546666, identifier: CRD42024546666.

Temporal Associations of Physical Activity With Subsequent Knee Pain in Individuals With Knee Osteoarthritis: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study.

Temporal Associations of Physical Activity With Subsequent Knee Pain in Individuals With Knee Osteoarthritis: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study.

Relationship between physical activity and eudaimonic well-being in college students based on Ryff’s six-factor model of psychological well-being

Eudaimonic well-being, a key construct in positive psychology, is linked to both mental and physical health in college students. This study investigated how different intensities of physical activity (PA) correlate with multiple aspects of eudaimonic well-being among college students, using Ryff’s six-factor model as a framework. A total of 1,131 undergraduate students (mean age = 19.74 years) completed questionnaires measuring different intensities of PA and various dimensions of eudaimonic well-being. Multiple regression analyses were performed to explore associations between varying PA intensities and the six dimensions of eudaimonic well-being, controlling for gender, age, and Body Mass Index. Moderate-intensity PA was the most consistent predictor of multiple dimensions of eudaimonic well-being, including environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relations with others, purpose in life, and self-acceptance (β = 0.09 to 0.14, p’s < 0.01). Vigorous-intensity PA demonstrated positive associations with positive relations with others, purpose in life, and self-acceptance (β = 0.09 to 0.10, p’s < 0.01), whereas light-intensity PA was not significantly related to any dimensions of eudaimonic well-being (p’s > 0.05). Our findings suggest that the association between PA and eudaimonic well-being differs based on both the intensity of PA and the specific aspect of eudaimonic well-being. Future research should continue to explore why specific intensities of PA are associated with particular dimensions of eudaimonic well-being.

Association of Physical Activity Intensity and Light/Deep Sleep in Young People from Southern Spain

Background: Previous research has examined the relationship between physical activity (PA) and sleep quality in young people. However, studies exploring how different intensities of PA relate to light and deep sleep, using objective measurement tools, remain scarce. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to analyze the potential associations between PA intensity and sleep stages and to determine the most effective intensity of PA for positively influencing sleep during adolescence. Methods: The sample consisted of 1072 Spanish pre-adolescents and adolescents (53% girls and 47% boys) aged 13.03 ± 1.79 years. Sleep and intensity of PA were measured using the Xiaomi Mi Band 4 smartband. Sleep was categorized as light or deep, while PA intensity was determined by heart rate (HR) and classified as light (resting to 50% of maximum HR), moderate (50–70% of max HR), and vigorous (70–85% of max HR). Results: Analyses revealed that greater daily time spent in light-intensity PA was associated with less light sleep and more deep sleep. Additionally, vigorous-intensity PA was positively associated with increased deep sleep. No negative associations were observed between moderate-intensity PA and sleep quality. In conclusion, this study suggests that promoting prolonged light-intensity activities (e.g., walking) or short bursts of vigorous activity (e.g., sports participation) may enhance sleep quality during pre-adolescence and adolescence.

Abstract 3350: Prognostic importance of physical activity in the chemotherapy of esophagogastric cancer; associations with skeletal muscle, systemic inflammation, and lifestyle

Abstract Background: Physical activity (PA) must be an important intervention in the treatment of cancer. However, it is unknown what kinds of PAs can improve patients’ outcome in the chemotherapy of esophagogastric cancer (EGC). Methods: Unresectable or recurrent EGC patients treated with chemotherapy were prospectively investigated. PA was measured using an accelerometer for 1 week before and after the chemotherapy administration. PA was classified as sedentary behavior (&amp;lt; 1.5METs, SB), light-intensity PA (1.6-2.9 METs, LPA), and moderate-to-vigorous PA (≥ 6.0 METs, MVPA). PA parameters were compared with disease specific survival (DSS), inflammatory and nutritional markers, subsequent skeletal muscle (SM) volume change, and lifestyle. Results: Thirty-nine patients were evaluated. In Cox regression analyses, better DSS was significantly correlated with longer times of LPA (P=0.02), but not with MVPA (P=0.2). LPA showed significant negative correlations with WBC, CRP, and modified GPS score (P=0.03, 0.03, 0.004, respectively), and positive correlations with serum total protein (TP) and albumin (Alb) levels and SM change (P=0.01, 0.003, 0.01, respectively). The longer times of LPA was significantly associated with better socialization with neighbors (P=0.001). Conclusions: LPA would be recommended during the chemotherapy of advanced EGC patients, keeping their better inflammatory and nutritional status and preventing SM loss. Socialization might play a key role in increasing LPA. Citation Format: Koichi Hayano, Natsiko Arimatsu, Yasunori Matsumoto, Yoshihiro Kurata, Ryota Otsuka, Akira Nakano, Tadashi Shiraishi, Nobufumi Sekino, Takeshi Toyozumi, Masaya Uesato, Gaku Ohira, Hisahiro Matsubara. Prognostic importance of physical activity in the chemotherapy of esophagogastric cancer; associations with skeletal muscle, systemic inflammation, and lifestyle [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2025; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2025 Apr 25-30; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2025;85(8_Suppl_1):Abstract nr 3350.

Compositional associations of 24-h physical activities, sedentary time and sleep with depressive symptoms in urban and rural residents: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundStudies investigating the associations of 24-h movement behaviours (including moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA), light-intensity PA (LPA), sedentary time (ST) and sleep) with depressive symptoms are scarce. It is also unclear whether possible associations differ between urban and rural residents. Hence, we aimed to investigate these associations in a population-based sample of middle-aged Finnish adults.MethodsThe study population consisted of 4295 adults, aged 46 years, from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966. The participants wore a hip-worn accelerometer for 14 days. Time spent in sedentary, LPA and MVPA was obtained from accelerometer data and then combined with self-reported sleep duration to obtain the 24-h composition. The residential environment was classified as urban or rural based on the participants’ home addresses. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). Multivariable adjusted regression analysis using a compositional data analysis approach based on isometric log-ratio transformation was used to determine the associations between movement behaviours and depressive symptoms in urban and rural residential environments.ResultsThe 24-h movement behaviour composition was significantly associated with the BDI-II score both in urban and rural residential environment. More time spent in sleep relative to other behaviours was associated with lower BDI-II score in rural residential environments. More time spent in ST among urban residents and in LPA among rural residents was associated with higher BDI-II scores. When modelling pairwise reallocations of time, more MVPA or more sleep at the expense of LPA or ST was associated with lower BDI-II score among rural residents. For urban residents, reallocating time from ST to any other behaviour was associated with lower BDI-II score.ConclusionsOur findings showed that more relative time spent in MVPA and sleep was associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms among rural residents, and more relative time spent in any other behaviour at the expense of ST was associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms among urban residents. These differences should be considered in the prevention and treatment of depressive symptoms. Due to the cross-sectional design of this study, causality cannot be inferred, and further research exploring the mechanisms underlying these associations in diverse populations and longitudinal study settings are needed.

Sedentary Behavior and Light-Intensity Physical Activity During Pregnancy and Cardiovascular Health: A Science Advisory From the American Heart Association.

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans supports sitting less and moving more. Growing evidence suggests that a waking behavior profile with less sedentary behavior and more light-intensity physical activity is associated with more favorable cardiovascular health. Remarkably, little is known about how these behaviors relate to cardiovascular health during pregnancy. The purpose of this American Heart Association science advisory is to describe the existing evidence on device-measured sedentary behavior and light-intensity physical activity in relation to cardiovascular health during pregnancy and to make specific calls to action for future research to improve health outcomes and to promote health equity. Outcomes included adverse pregnancy outcomes associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease and the American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8 health factor components (blood pressure, lipids, glucose, and gestational weight gain). Findings from observational studies are mixed, with preliminary evidence demonstrating an association between high sedentary behavior and increased risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, shorter gestational age at delivery, low or high birth weight, and elevated maternal blood pressure, lipids, glucose, and gestational weight gain. Findings for light-intensity physical activity are limited by fewer studies and are less compelling. Experimental evidence evaluating the impact of decreasing sedentary behavior or increasing light-intensity physical activity on pregnancy cardiovascular health is weak. Future observational studies with rigorous longitudinal designs and larger, diverse samples are needed to characterize associations and to inform the design of adequately powered randomized controlled trials testing the impact of decreasing sedentary behavior and increasing light-intensity physical activity on cardiovascular health during pregnancy.

Associations of neighbourhood walkability with patterns of device-measured stepping, standing and sitting

BackgroundNeighbourhood walkability is known to be positively associated with self-reported and device-based measures of overall physical activity. However, relations of walkability with specific active and sedentary behaviour patterns are not well understood.MethodsWe investigated cross-sectional associations of neighbourhood walkability with time spent stepping, standing, sitting, and their pattern metrics using data from 505 participants (mean age 59.2 years) from the AusDiab3 study. Neighbourhood walkability (a composite measure of residential, destination, and intersection densities) was calculated within 1 km street-network buffers around participants’ homes. Thigh-worn device data (activPAL, 7-day, 24 h/day protocol) were used to derive stepping, sitting and standing minutes per day and their pattern metrics. Two-level linear mixed models assessed relevant associations, adjusting for potential confounders.ResultsHigher walkability was associated with higher cadences (β [95% CI] = 0.12 [0.04–0.20]), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (β [95% CI] = 0.17 [0.09–0.26]), longer stepping bouts (β [95% CI] = 0.18 [0.10–0.25]) and time in purposeful (≥ 2 min duration) walking (β [95% CI] = 0.21 [0.13–0.30]). There were no associations with total sitting time, standing time, or their associated pattern metrics. Total stepping time also had no associations, suggesting that participants in neighbourhoods with higher walkability may accumulate similar levels of stepping time to participants in lower walkability neighbourhoods, albeit with higher intensity and in longer bouts.ConclusionsBy examining activity totals only, relevant walkability relationships may be masked. Further research is needed to understand whether walkability and other built environment attributes are associated with sedentary behaviour patterns, as well as light-intensity physical activities.

Interaction of accelerometer-measured physical activity and genetic risk on cardiovascular diseases: a prospective cohort study from UK Biobank.

This study aimed to evaluate the interactions of physical activity and polygenic risk score (PRS) on risks of atrial fibrillation, coronary heart disease (CHD), hypertension, and ischaemic stroke. This study included 91 629 participants from UK Biobank in this study, all of whom had worn a wrist-worn accelerometer for 7 consecutive days. We computed total volume of physical activity (TPA) and time spent in moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) and light intensity physical activity (LPA). Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate associations of physical activity with the four cardiovascular outcomes. Interactions between physical activity and PRS were investigated on multiplicative and additive scales. During a median follow-up of 7.9 years, 3811 atrial fibrillation, 3994 CHD, 7345 hypertension and 1001 ischaemic stroke cases were recorded. TPA, MVPA and LPA were all negatively associated with risks of the four cardiovascular outcomes, generally independent of genetic risk. Association between LPA and atrial fibrillation was U-shaped among low-PRS stratum (p=0.01), and association between TPA and hypertension was attenuated with genetic risk increasing (p=0.02). Attributable risk (AR) of inactivity was higher in the high-PRS population. For example, increasing MVPA resulted in a twofold greater reduction in CHD cases among individuals with high PRS (AR=2.17%) than among those with low PRS (AR=1.09%). Increasing physical activity, including LPA, was associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases. The extent of this benefit may differ among individuals with different genetic risks.

Adolescent Time Use and Cardiometabolic Health: A Cross-Sectional Compositional Analysis to Explore Associations Between 24-Hour Activity Behaviors and Biomarkers of Cardiometabolic Health.

Adolescent Time Use and Cardiometabolic Health: A Cross-Sectional Compositional Analysis to Explore Associations Between 24-Hour Activity Behaviors and Biomarkers of Cardiometabolic Health.

Association Between Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior and Sleep Disorders in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Sleep disorder is a common comorbidity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We aim to explore the potential association between daily sitting time (DST), leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and sleep disorders in COPD patients. The sleep, LTPA, and DST data of participants with COPD were extracted from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) portal (2007-2012), basing on Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. The t-test, Mann-Whitney test, or chi-square test were employed to analyze the differences between two groups. The weighted binomial logistic regression model was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of DST and LTPA on sleep disorders. The analyses were conducted from April 1 to July 1, 2023. A total of 2063 COPD samples were included in this work, of which 58% had LTPA < 150 min/wk and 48% had DST > 6h. Patients with sleep disorders had longer sedentary time (DST > 6h: 151, DST > 8h: 105) and less physical activity (LTPA < 150min/wk: 185). Longer sedentary time was correlated with a higher risk of sleep disorders, while LTPA showed no significant correlation with sleep disorders. The conjoint analysis revealed that the risk of sleep disorders in patients with LTPA <150 min/wk and DST > 8h was 5.88 times (95% CI: 1.80-19.2) great than that of patients with LTPA≥150 min/wk and DST < 4h. COPD patients often lacked physical activity and exhibited sedentary behaviors. Long-term sedentary behavior was associated with elevated risk of sleep disorders in COPD patients. More light intensity physical activity and supervised exercise programs are probably good choices to prevent sleep disorders in COPD population.

Physical Activity by Accelerometry is Prospectively Associated With Lower Testosterone and Hirsutism Score Among Adolescent Girls.

Physical activity (PA) is recommended for the management of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). However, it is not known whether PA modulates the risk of components of PCOS diagnostic criteria during adolescence. We included participants from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children prospective cohort with objective measurement of PA and sedentary behavior using accelerometry between ages 11 and 15years, biochemical and clinical measures of hyperandrogenism (serum total testosterone level at 15years and self-reported hirsutism at 19years), and self-reported menstrual regularity at 17years. Two-stage regression models evaluated the association of repeated measures of PA and sedentary behavior with components of PCOS diagnostic criteria. Among 1,526 singleton girls with accelerometer data and testosterone samples, time spent in light PA was inversely associated with total testosterone (ß=-0.070, 95% CI-0.114,-0.025; nmol/L, per 60minutes) and continuous hirsutism score (ß=-0.756, 95% CI-1.41,-0.103; per 60minutes). Conversely, time spent sedentary was associated with higher total testosterone level (ß= 0.052, 95% CI 0.013, 0.090; per 60minutes) and hirsutism score (ß= 0.668, 95% CI 0.103, 1.23; per 60minutes). Associations were independent of adiposity, but results for hirsutism were attenuated following adjustment for age at menarche and after stratification by hormonal contraceptive use. No associations were observed with menstrual irregularity, for other PA intensity components, or among users of hormonal contraceptives. More time spent in light intensity physical activity and less time spent sedentary during early adolescence is associated with lower testosterone concentrations and lower hirsutism scores in late adolescence.

Physical Activity and Enjoyment in Active Virtual Reality Games in Youth: Comparative Analysis of Gorilla Tag and Beat Saber.

Virtual reality (VR) active gaming is growing in popularity, but little is known about physical activity during gameplay. Two popular VR games are Gorilla Tag (Another Axiom Inc) and Beat Saber (Beat Games). Little is known about physical activity during these games in youth. The purpose of this study was to investigate the enjoyment, intensity, and amount of physical activity while playing Gorilla Tag and Beat Saber in early adolescent youth. Sixteen participants, 13 males and 3 females with an average age of 10.7 (SD 0.34) years, played 2 VR games (Gorilla Tag and Beat Saber) in a single session. Both games followed the same procedure: a maximum of 10-minute familiarization period, 5 minutes of rest, 15 minutes of gameplay, and 10 minutes of rest. Participants wore a heart rate monitor to track heart rate reserve (%HRR) and accelerometers on the wrist and waist to monitor time in sedentary activity, light physical activity, and moderate to vigorous physical activity of the arm and whole body. The Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale-Child Version (PACES) and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were completed after each game. Dependent t tests compared measures between games. The results revealed that average and maximum %HRR were significantly higher during Gorilla Tag than during Beat Saber, with heart rate-based physical activity intensity reaching light for Beat Saber and moderate for Gorilla Tag. Arm moderate to vigorous physical activity and whole-body moderate to vigorous physical activity and light physical activity were greater during Gorilla Tag than during Beat Saber. Arm and whole-body sedentary time were significantly lower during Gorilla Tag than during Beat Saber. Gorilla Tag and Beat Saber were rated as highly enjoyable. There were no differences between games for maximum (P=.352) or average (P=.362) RPE. Both games were rated as light intensity for average RPE (Gorilla Tag: mean 4.3, SD 1.9; Beat Saber: mean 4.7, SD 2.3) and moderate intensity for maximum RPE (Gorilla Tag: mean 5.4, SD 1.9; Beat Saber: mean 5.8, SD 2.4). These results suggest that Beat Saber produced light-intensity physical activity and Gorilla Tag produced light- to moderate-intensity physical activity in early adolescent youth, with both games rated as highly enjoyable.

Movement behaviors and cardiorespiratory fitness – a cross-sectional compositional data analysis among German adults

BackgroundWe investigated associations of movement behaviors (moderate-vigorous physical activity, light physical activity, and stationary time) with various parameters measured during cardiopulmonary exercise testing. We applied compositional data analysis to account for the relative contributions of different movement behaviors to the overall time budget of the waking day.MethodsWe used data from 1,396 participants of the cross-sectional population-based Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP-TREND-1), who provided valid accelerometer data worn on the hip for seven days during waking hours and participated in cardiopulmonary exercise testing on a cycle ergometer (n = 1,396 participants with a mean age of 57.1 (SD 13.2, 51% men). Linear regression models applying compositional data analysis were used to examine associations of proportions of movement behaviors (exposure) with parameters derived during cardiopulmonary exercise testing (outcome) normalized for body weight and stratified by sex. Models were adjusted for age, education, smoking, and partnership, except the %predicted VO2peak model, where age was omitted, as it is part of the calculation of the %predicted VO2peak. In models examining O2pulse or HRmax, individuals using beta blockers were excluded.ResultsIn males and females, more time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was associated with greater VO2VT1, VO2peak, and VO2 recovery after 60 s (all p < 0.01). Greater moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was also related to higher %predicted VO2peak and maximum heart rate in males and to higher VO2/work in females (all p < 0.01). In both sexes, more time in stationary time was associated with less %predicted VO2peak (p < 0.01). More light intensity physical activity was associated to higher %predicted VO2peak in both sexes and with lower VO2/work in women (all p < 0.01). Greater stationary time was related to less VO2/work, VO2VT1, and VO2peak in males and to less VO2 recovery after 60 s and O2pulse in females (p values < 0.05).ConclusionModerate-to-vigorous physical activity (positive) and stationary time (inverse) influence parameters derived during cardiopulmonary exercise testing irrespective of age, smoking, and living in a relationship. The sex specific effects were rather small. Hence, promoting physical activity should be encouraged to increase cardiorespiratory fitness.Graphical

Amount and intensity of daily total physical activity, step count and risk of incident cancer in the UK Biobank

ObjectivesTo investigate associations between daily physical activity, activity intensity and step counts with incident cancer risk.MethodsProspective analysis of UK Biobank participants who wore wrist-based accelerometers for 7 days, followed for...

Do publicly funded community physical activity programs for middle-aged and older adults in Ireland work?

To strengthen practice-based evidence, pragmatic, yet rigorous, evaluation of real-world programs is necessary. This study sought to add to the evidence for the effectiveness of physical activity programs for middle-aged and older adults offered by publicly funded local sports partnerships (LSPs) in Ireland. We analysed data from 468 individuals aged 50 + years, who took part in the Move for Life cluster randomised feasibility trial. Outcomes were accelerometer-based moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA), light intensity physical activity (LiPA), standing time, and sedentary time; self-reported compliance with physical activity guidelines, body composition, physical function, and mental well-being. LSP programs included Women on Wheels/Bike for Life, Go for Life Games, Get Ireland Walking, and Men on the Move. We used a difference-in-differences approach to estimate program effects. We found evidence of positive program effects on accelerometer-derived MVPA (Women on Wheels/Bike for Life, Get Ireland Walking), LiPA (Go for Life Games), and sedentary time (Women on Wheels/Bike for Life, Go for Life Games) (p < .05), plus evidence of positive effects on self-reported physical activity for all LSP programs (p < .05). We did not find evidence of program effects on body composition. Outcomes related to physical function were mixed. Men on the Move was the only program where mental well-being scores increased significantly relative to the control group. Despite sample size limitations, the results support the effectiveness of LSP programs over a 6-month period, notably in terms of energy expenditure outcomes, while identifying areas for improvement regarding outcomes related to body composition, physical function and, particularly, mental well-being.

Current and historic patterns of chronic disease burden are associated with physical activity and sedentary behavior in older adults: an observational study

BackgroundCross-sectional studies suggest that chronic disease burden in older adults is associated with lower activity. However, preceding life-course patterns of morbidity accumulation may also influence current activity and have not been well characterized. Using a well-described sample of older adults, we estimated associations between current chronic disease burden and accelerometer-measured moderate-to-vigorous intensity movement measures, light-intensity movement measures, and sedentary behavior measures. Additionally, we examined historic morbidity patterns among those with current multimorbidity to provide additional understanding of these later life associations between current multimorbidity and activity.MethodsAnalyses included N = 886 older adult study participants who wore activPAL and Actigraph accelerometers. We calculated Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI; range 0–29) scores for participants at the time of device wear and estimated the association between current chronic disease burden (CCIcurrent) and each accelerometer-based activity metric using linear regression. Additionally, for participants categorized as having multimorbidity at time of device wear (CCIcurrent = 2+), we calculated CCI scores from age 55 through age at device wear. We plotted these to illustrate historic patterns of morbidity accumulation, and we compared activity metrics between participants with observed distal vs. recent onset of multimorbidity.ResultsA unit increment in CCIcurrent was associated with higher mean sitting bout duration (0.5 min, CI: [0.0,1.0], p = 0.039) and with both lower average daily step counts (-319 steps, CI: [-431,-208], p < 0.001) and lower average daily minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA; -3.8 min, CI: [-5.2,-2.4], p < 0.001). No associations were seen with standing, light-intensity physical activity, or other sitting measures. Among older adults with multimorbidity at time of device-wear, results suggested some evidence that participants whose apparent onset was more distal engaged in less MVPA (-12.1, CI: [-21.0, -3.2], p = 0.008) and had fewer daily steps (-1000, CI: [-1745, -254], p = 0.009) than participants whose apparent onset was more recent.ConclusionsCurrent chronic disease burden was associated with moderate-to-vigorous intensity movement measures and some patterns of prolonged sitting. Current multimorbidity is characterized by a preceding pattern of accumulation over the life-course. Attention to both current and historic trajectory of multimorbidity is important in investigations of MVPA and health.

Cardiometabolic Benefit of Replacing Sedentary Time with Light-Intensity Physical Activity: Compositional Data Analysis of the Nijmegen Exercise Study.

The cardiometabolic benefits of replacing sedentary time with light-intensity physical activity (LIPA) are unclear. We studied the associations of hypothetically reallocating sedentary time towards LIPA with changes in cardiometabolic risk factors using thigh-worn accelerometery. We also explored whether reallocation effects differed across subgroups with low, moderate, and high sedentary time and compared proportionally similar reallocations to either LIPA or moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). We assessed physical behaviours across eight consecutive days using thigh-worn accelerometers among adults from the Nijmegen Exercise Study. Multiple cardiometabolic risk factors were assessed and categorised as: 1) anthropometrics, 2) cardiovascular biomarkers, and 3) glucose metabolism. Reallocation effects were estimated for each cardiometabolic risk factor using compositional isotemporal substitution models adjusted for confounders. Analyses were repeated in sedentary time subgroups, i.e. <8.5, 8.5-10, and > 10 hours/day. We included 1,041 participants (64 (standard deviation 11) years; 39.5% female). Reallocating sedentary time towards LIPA was associated with improvements in anthropometrics, some cardiovascular biomarkers, and glucose metabolism; e.g., replacing 60 minutes/day of sedentary time with LIPA was associated with improvements in BMI (-0.28 (-0.42, -0.13) kg/m 2 ), eGFR (0.68 (0.15, 1.20) mL/min/1.73m 2 ), and glucose (-0.05 (-0.08, -0.03) mmol/L). Trends suggested that reallocation benefits were strongest in those with >8.5 hours/day of sedentary time. Proportionally similar replacements of sedentary time with either LIPA or MVPA were associated with similar cardiometabolic benefits. Reallocation of sedentary time to LIPA was associated with improvements in cardiometabolic risk factors, predominantly in anthropometrics and glucose metabolism, with greater benefits in the most sedentary individuals. Time reallocation from sedentary time to LIPA may be an effective and arguably feasible strategy to improve population-wide cardiometabolic health.