Joint associations of accelerometer-measured physical activity and sedentary time with cardiometabolic risk in older adults: A cross-sectional study

To investigate the joint associations of accelerometer-measured moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary time (ST) with cardiometabolic risk in older adults. This cross-sectional study included 248 participants (aged 65.8 ± 5.1 years; 73.7% females). Cardiometabolic risk was defined using continuous metabolic syndrome score (cMetS). MVPA and ST were assessed by accelerometry. Participants were categorized according to their MVPA and ST levels: i) ‘Inactive + High ST’ (<150 min/week and > 10.6 h/day); ii) ‘Inactive + Low ST’ (< 150 min/week and ≤ 10.6 h/day); iii) ‘Active + High ST’ (≥ 150 min/week and > 10.6 h/day) and iv) ‘Active + Low ST’ (≥ 150 min/week and ≤ 10.6 h/day). The cut-offs for active and inactive were based on current PA guidelines. The cut-offs for low and high ST were based on the median value from this cohort. Generalized linear models were used for data analyses (‘Inactive + High ST’ as group reference) controlling for known cardiometabolic risk factors. The ‘Active + Low ST’ (β = −0.34, 95% CI –0.57, −0.11) and ‘Active + High ST’ (β = −0.28, 95% CI –0.55, −0.02) groups had lower cMetS compared to the ‘Inactive + High ST’ group (p < 0.05). No difference was found between the ‘Inactive + Low ST’ and ‘Inactive + High ST’ groups (β = −0.19, 95% CI –0.41, 0.03). Meeting MVPA recommendations (≥ 150 min/week) is associated with a lower cardiometabolic risk in older adults, even in those with high ST.