Physical activity and fitness in the community: the Framingham Heart Study
Authors' conclusion
Our findings provide a detailed assessment of relations of different types of PA with multidimensional cardiorespiratory fitness measures and suggest favourable longitudinal changes in PA (and MVPA in particular) are associated with greater objective fitness.
Study context
- Population
- Framingham Heart Study participants (age 54 ± 9 years, 51% women)
- Participants
- 2,070 participants
- Outcome
- Associations of changes in objective PA (SED, steps/day, MVPA) with cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2) by maximum effort cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET)
- Follow-up
- 7.8 years between assessments
Methodological detailscommunity-based, accelerometer-measured physical activity (PA) at two exams ≈7.8 years apart
- Community-based
- Accelerometer-measured PA at two exams ≈7.8 years apart
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Increases in steps/day and moderate-vigorous PA (MVPA) and reduced SED associated with distinct aspects of fitness (initiation, early-moderate, peak exercise, recovery), highest estimates for MVPA; adjusted for clinical risk factors
false discovery rate <5% for all
Increase in MVPA corresponding to 5% (1.2 mL/kg/min) higher peak VO2
17 min/day
95% CI 14–21
Increase in steps corresponding to 5% (1.2 mL/kg/min) higher peak VO2
4312 steps/day
95% CI 3439–5781; ≈54 min at 80 steps/min
Reduction in SED corresponding to 5% (1.2 mL/kg/min) higher peak VO2
249 min/day
95% CI 149–777
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Subgroups by age, sex, obesity, CV risk
- Findings largely consistent across categories
Peak VO2 by combined steps/MVPA and SED categories
- High (above-mean) steps or MVPA: above average peak VO2 regardless of high or low SED
Original publication
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it