Journal Article

Physical activity, sedentary time and gain in overall and central body fat: 7-year follow-up of the ProActive trial cohort

Sharp, S J, Wareham, N J, Golubic, R, Griffin, S J, Ekelund, U, Wijndaele, K, Brage, S, Simmons, R K

2015

Overview

Objective: The objective of this study is to examine the independent associations of time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary (SED-time), with total and abdominal body fat (BF), and the bidirectionality of these associations in adults at high risk of type 2 diabetes. Design and subjects: We measured MVPA (min per day) and SED-time (h per day) by accelerometry, and indices of total (body weight, fat mass (FM), BF% and FM index) and abdominal BF (waist circumference (WC)) using standard procedures in 231 adults (41.3±6.4 years) with parental history of type 2 diabetes (ProActive UK) at baseline, 1-year and 7-year follow-up. Mixed effects models were used to quantify the independent associations (expressed as standardised β-coefficients (95% confidence interval (CI))) of MVPA and SED-time with fat indices, using data from all three time points. All models were adjusted for age, sex, intervention arm, monitor wear time, follow-up time, smoking status, socioeconomic status and MVPA/SED-time. Results: MVPA was inversely and independently associated with all indices of total BF (for example, 1 s.d. higher MVPA was associated with a reduction in FM, β =−0.09 (95% CI: −0.14, −0.04) s.d.) and abdominal BF (for example, WC: β =−0.07 (−0.12, −0.02)). Similarly, higher fat indices were independently associated with a reduction in MVPA (for example, WC: β =−0.25 (−0.36, −0.15); FM: β =−0.27 (−0.36, −0.18)). SED-time was positively and independently associated with most fat indices (for example, WC: β =0.03 (−0.04, 0.09); FM: β =0.10 (0.03, 0.17)). Higher values of all fat indices independently predicted longer SED-time (for example, WC: β =0.10 (0.02, 0.18), FM: β =0.15 (0.07, 0.22)). Conclusions: The associations of MVPA and SED-time with total and abdominal BF are bidirectional and independent among individuals at high risk for type 2 diabetes. The association between BF and MVPA is stronger than the reciprocal association, highlighting the importance of considering BF as a determinant of decreasing activity and a potential consequence. Promoting more MVPA and less SED-time may reduce total and abdominal BF.

• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group UK,Nature Publishing Group
• Subject: 692/699/1702/393 / 692/699/2743/137/773 / 692/700/459/284 / Abdomen / Accelerometry / Adipose tissue / Adiposity / Adult / Body fat / Body mass index / Body weight / Cardiovascular Diseases - etiology / Cardiovascular Diseases - metabolism / Cardiovascular Diseases - prevention & control / Clinical medicine / Cohort Studies / Diabetes / Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - etiology / Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - metabolism / Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - prevention & control / Disease / Epidemiology / Evidence-Based Medicine / Exercise / Family medical history / Female / Follow-Up Studies / Health aspects / Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Health Promotion / Health Promotion and Disease Prevention / Humans / Internal Medicine / Male / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Metabolic Diseases / Metabolism / Mortality / Obesity / Obesity - complications / Obesity - metabolism / Obesity - prevention & control / Original / original-article / Properties / Public Health / Risk Factors / Sedentary Behavior / Socioeconomics / Time Factors / Type 2 diabetes / Waist Circumference / Weight Gain