Prevention & lipids

Joint association of genetic risk and accelerometer-based step count with cardiovascular disease: a UK Biobank cohort study

Eur J Prev CardiolPublished Prospective cohort study

Main finding · Incident CVDResult — go to the resultHazard ratio 2.81 95% CI 2.27–3.46

Authors' conclusion

High daily step count was associated with lower CVD risk in individuals with moderate and high genetic risk

Study context

Population
UK Biobank participants with valid accelerometer and genetic data, without prevalent cardiovascular disease (CVD) at baseline4,847 developed CVD
Participants
84,286 participants
Exposure
Joint categories of genetic risk and accelerometer-measured daily step count
Outcome
Incident CVD:
  • Coronary artery disease
  • Ischaemic stroke
Follow-up
Median 7.9 years
Methodological detailspopulation-based, UK Biobank
  • Population-based
  • UK Biobank

Main finding

Incident CVD

Hazard ratio

2.81

95% CI 2.27–3.46

P < 0.0001

By group

Low genetic risk and high step count

62 per 1,000

absolute risk

High genetic risk and low step count

174 per 1,000

absolute risk

High genetic risk and low step countvs Low genetic risk and high step count
HR 2.81 (95% CI 2.27–3.46); P < 0.0001

As reported in the abstract

High genetic risk and low step count independently associated with higher CVD risk; no multiplicative interaction
P for interaction = 0.46

Observational data: associations, not effects.

Further findings

Dose-response of step count with CVD hazard

Inverse dose-response up to 10,000 steps/day, then plateau in moderate and high genetic risk groups

Original publication

Joint association of genetic risk and accelerometer-based step count with cardiovascular disease: a UK Biobank cohort study. Eur J Prev Cardiol. Published 9 June 2026. doi:10.1093/eurjpc/zwag306

Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →

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