Abstract

Background: Low levels of physical activity (PA) and high sedentary time (ST) are common in older adults and lack of PA is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Knowledge about associations with accelerometer-measured PA, ST and CVD risk in older adults is insufficient. This study examines the associations of accelerometer-measured PA and ST with cardiovascular risk measured using the Framingham risk score (FRS) and all-cause mortality in older adults.

Methods: A population-based sample of 660 (277 men, 383 women) older people (mean age 68.9) participated in the Oulu45 cohort study from 2013‒2015. PA and ST were measured with wrist-worn accelerometers at baseline for two weeks. Ten-year CVD risk (%) was estimated with FRS. The data for all-cause mortality were identified from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency, Finland after an average of 6.2 years follow-up. The associations between moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), light physical activity (LPA), ST and FRS were analyzed using the multivariable linear regression analysis. Associations between LPA, ST and mortality were analyzed using the Cox proportional-hazard regression models.

Results: Each 10 min increase in MVPA (β = -0.779, 95% CI -1.186 to -0.371, p < 0.001) and LPA (β = -0.293, 95% CI -0.448 to -0.138, p < 0.001) was negatively associated with FRS while a 10 min increase in ST (β = 0.290, 95% CI 0.158 to 0.421, p < 0.001) was positively associated with FRS. After adjustment for waist circumference, only ST was significantly associated with FRS. Each 10 min increase in LPA was associated with 6.5% lower all-cause mortality risk (HR = 0.935, 95% CI 0.884 to 0.990, p = 0.020) and each 10 min increase in ST with 5.6% increased mortality risk (HR = 1.056, 95% CI 1.007 to 1.108, p = 0.025).

Conclusions: A higher amount of daily physical activity, at any intensity level, and avoidance of sedentary time are associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk in older people. Higher time spent in light physical activity and lower sedentary time are associated with lower all-cause mortality.