Objectively measured sedentary behavior and physical activity in a sample of Finnish adults: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

BackgroundRegular physical activity (PA) confers many positive effects on health and well-being. Sedentary behavior (SB), in turn, is a risk factor for health, regardless of the level of moderate to vigorous PA. The present study describes the levels of objectively measured SB, breaks in SB, standing still and PA among Finnish adults.MethodsThis cross-sectional analysis is based on the sub-sample of the population-based Health 2011 Study of Finnish adults. The study population consisted of 18-to-85-year old men and women who wore a waist-worn triaxial accelerometer (Hookie AM 20) for at least 4 days, for at least 10 h per day (n = 1587) during a week. PA and SB were objectively assessed from the raw accelerometric data using novel processing and analysis algorithms with mean amplitude deviation as the processing method. The data was statistically analyzed using cross-tabulations, analysis of variance and analysis of covariance.ResultsThe participants were on average 52 years old, 57 % being women. Participants were sedentary 59 % of their waking wear time, mainly sitting. They spent 17 % of the time standing still, 15 % in light intensity PA, 9 % in moderate PA and less than 1 % in vigorous PA. Participants aged 30–39 years had the highest number of breaks in SB per day. Younger participants (<30 years of age) had more moderate and vigorous PA than older ones (≥60 years of age), and 30–60-year-olds had the greatest amount of light PA.ConclusionsParticipants spent nearly 60 % of their waking time sedentary, and the majority of their daily PA was light. From a public health perspective it is important to find effective ways to decrease SB as well as to increase the level of PA. Our analysis method of raw accelerometer data may allow more precise assessment of dose-response relationships between objectively measured PA and SB and various indicators of health and well-being.

Objectively measured physical activity profile and cognition in Finnish elderly twins

“…The mean wearing time was the average wearing time per day when more than 30minute periods without any measured movement of the accelerometer were excluded. The mean wearing time was 14 h 1 min, which is in line with the mean wearing time of about 14 h in a recent population-based study of Finnish adults [22]. The mean wearing time was used as a covariate only in the analyses of SB and the mean daily MET because some participants forgot to remove the device at night.…”

“…Compared to an earlier study of objectively measured PA and SB in Finnish adults aged 18 to 85 years, the PA and sedentary profile was quite comparable in the oldest age group of 70 to 85 years. The amount of LPA was a bit higher in our study (approximately 2 h 55 min vs. approximately 2 h), the amount of MVPA was a bit lower (40 min vs. approximately 55 min), and the amount of SB was a bit higher (8 h 57 min vs. approximately 8 h) [22].…”

Six‐minute walk test: a tool for predicting maximal aerobic power (VO2 max) in healthy adults

“…Table 4 provides gender-specific statistical coefficients for VO 2 sub. We applied the developed prediction equations to the data of the 6MWT collected in the PA and fitness subsample of National Health 2011 Survey (n = 1583) (Husu et al, 2016). The accuracy of the VO 2 max prediction model was good enough to divide 6MWT results into age and gender-specific fitness thirds; that is, the SEE was smaller than the range between the lower and upper limits of the middle third (Table 5).…”

Prolonged bouts of sedentary time and cardiac autonomic function in midlife

“…The first day when the activity monitor was given to the participant was excluded from the analysis. Participants with four or more eligible days (wear time of at least 600 minutes/d during waking hours) were included in the analyses …”

“…Participants with four or more eligible days (wear time of at least 600 minutes/d during waking hours) were included in the analyses. 33 Volume of light PA was analyzed including all activity with intensity 2-3.49 METs and calculated by multiplying each MET value with its duration (vLPA, MET minutes/d). Similarly, volume of MVPA was analyzed including all activity with intensity of at least 3.5 METs and calculated by multiplying each MET value with its duration (vMVPA, MET minutes/d).…”