Elsevier

Atherosclerosis

Volume 247, April 2016, Pages 28-34
Atherosclerosis

Objectively measured physical activity and sedentary behaviour and ankle brachial index: Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations in older men

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2016.01.038Get rights and content
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open access

Highlights

  • Physical activity (PA) and ABI were objectively measured in British men (mean age 78y).

  • PA was associated with a lower odds of a low ABI (OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.72, 0.91).

  • Sedentary behaviour (SB) was associated with a higher odds (1.19) of a low ABI.

  • Higher intensity PA showed a stronger association with ABI than lighter intensity PA.

  • Total time spent in PA or SB, but not duration of bouts was associated with ABI.

Abstract

Background

Associations between bouts of physical activity (PA), sedentary behaviour (SB) and cardiovascular disease, and their mutual independence are not well defined. A low ankle brachial index (ABI ≤0.9) indicates peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and is predictive of cardiovascular events and functional impairment. We investigated the independence of PA and SB and the importance of bout duration in relation to ABI using objective measures.

Methods

945 men from the British Regional Heart Study, mean age 78.4 y, had concurrent measurements of ABI (Vicorder) and physical activity (Actigraph GT3X accelerometer); 427 men also had accelerometer measurements one year previously and contributed data to longitudinal analyses.

Results and conclusion

In cross-sectional analyses, after adjusting for covariates each extra 10 min of moderate and vigorous PA per day was associated with an OR of 0.81 (95% CI 0.72, 0.91) for a low ABI, a stronger association than for light PA (OR 0.85, 95% CI 0.75, 0.98). Each extra 30 min of SB was associated with an OR of 1.19 (95% CI 1.07, 1.33) for a low ABI. Associations between moderate and vigorous PA and ABI persisted after adjustment for light PA or SB. Bout lengths for PA and SB were not associated with a low ABI. One year changes in PA or SB were not associated with low ABI.

All physical activity and lower levels of SB, regardless of bout duration were inversely associated with ABI; more intense PA showed a stronger association. No associations between changes in PA and ABI were observed, but power may have been limited.

Keywords

Physical activity
Ankle brachial index
Peripheral arterial disease
Epidemiology
Accelerometer
Men

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