Association Between Differences in Physical Activity Patterns and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Older Adults

Abstract This study examined the effects of the differences in free-living daily physical activity patterns on blood lipid levels in older adults. This was a cross-sectional study. The study included 51 older participants The time from awakening to bedtime was used for group classification based on the amount (number of steps) and intensity (moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, MVPA) of physical activity. The morning and afternoon step groups (M Step and A Step) included those who took more steps in the morning and afternoon, respectively. The same method was used for MVPA (morning MVPA: M MVPA; afternoon MVPA: A MVPA). Blood samples were collected before the experiment to determine blood lipid levels. Number of steps taken showed a trend toward lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in the M Step group compared to the A Step group. The LDL/high-density lipoprotein (HDL) ratio was significantly lower in the M Step group than A Step group ( p < 0.05). The M MVPA group also had higher HDL-C levels and significantly lower LDL/HDL ratios than the A MVPA group (p < 0.05). These results suggest that daily morning physical activity (amount and intensity) is more effective than afternoon physical activity in improving blood lipid levels.