Step-Based Physical Activity Metrics and Cardiometabolic Risk

Abstract

Purpose To catalog the relationships between step-based accelerometer metrics indicative of physical activity volume (steps/day, adjusted to a pedometer scale), intensity (mean steps/min from the highest, not necessarily consecutive, minutes in a day; peak 30-min cadence) and sedentary behavior (percent time at zero cadence relative to wear time; %TZC) and cardiometabolic risk factors. Methods We analyzed data from 3388 20+ year-old participants in the 2005-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey with ≥1 valid day of accelerometer data and at least some data on weight, BMI, waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, glucose, insulin, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and/or glycohemoglobin. Linear trends were evaluated for cardiometabolic variables, adjusted for age and race, across quintiles of steps/day, peak 30 min-cadence, and %TZC. Results Median steps/day ranged from 2247-12334 for men and 1755-9824 steps/day for women, and median peak 30-min cadence ranged from 48.1-96.0 for men and 40.8-96.2 steps/min for women, for the 1st and 5th quintiles, respectively. Linear trends were statistically significant (all p<0.001), with increasing quintiles of steps/day and peak 30-min cadence inversely associated with waist-circumference, weight, BMI and insulin, for both men and women. Median %TZC ranged from 17.6-51.0% for men and 19.9-47.6% for women, for the 1st and 5th quintiles, respectively. Linear trends were statistically significant (all p<0.05), with increasing quintiles of %TZC associated with increased waist circumference, weight and insulin for men, and insulin for women. Conclusions This analysis identified strong linear relationships between step-based movement/non-movement dimensions and cardiometabolic risk factors. These data offer a set of quantified access points for studying the potential dose-response effects of each of these dimensions separately or collectively in longitudinal observational or intervention study designs.

Reliability and validity of RT6 accelerometer with comparing different walking self-selected speeds

“…A study investigating pedometer's accuracy according to their position worn at various walking speeds showed that at all positions, pedometers generated significant errors at slow speeds and therefore cannot be used reliably to evaluate the amount of physical activity for people walking slower than 0.6 m/s (2.16 km/h, or 1.24 mph) [15]. Regardless of that, pedometers are used in many areas such as primary care [16] increasing physical activity and stress management [17,18] decreasing cardiovascular risk factors [19] and adolescents [20]. RT6 and pedometer results were not found significantly correlated in our study.…”

Exercise and physical activity for patients with end‐stage liver disease: Improving functional status and sarcopenia while on the transplant waiting list

“…Moreover, its inclusion in commercially available physical activity trackers has popularized its use, as it is now commonly used in weight loss or fitness programs. If an accelerometer is used to guide exercise in ESLD patients, it is important to note that walking at a pace of 100 steps/minute corresponds to moderate‐to‐vigorous exercise intensity . Thus, to recommend bouts of 30 minutes of exercise, patients should achieve 3000 steps during that time frame to maintain proper exercise intensity.…”

“…If an accelerometer is used to guide exercise in ESLD patients, it is important to note that walking at a pace of 100 steps/minute corresponds to moderate-tovigorous exercise intensity. (85) Thus, to recommend bouts of 30 minutes of exercise, patients should achieve 3000 steps during that time frame to maintain proper exercise intensity. When combining NEAT and exercise, an equivalent of 7000-10,000 steps/day is expected.…”

Accelerometer assessed moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and successful ageing: results from the Whitehall II study

“…Recent studies using objective measures of physical activity, such as accelerometers, have mostly examined associations of health with total duration of physical activity. These studies found more physical activity141516 or MVPA1517 to be associated with favorable cardiometabolic outcomes1819 and better motor1516 and cognitive1417 function. There is also some evidence to suggest that time spent in both short and long MVPA bouts is associated with better cardio-metabolic health202122 and reduced risk of multimorbidity23.…”