Associations of physical activity and sleep with cardiometabolic risk in older women

In this study, we investigate the associations of objectively measured waking (sedentary, light physical activity [LPA] and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity [MVPA]) and sleep duration and quality characteristics with cardiometabolic risk among older women. Participants from the Healthy Women Study 2010–11 follow-up visit (n = 136, age = 73 ± 2 years, white = 91.9%) concurrently wore an ActiGraph GT1M accelerometer and Actiwatch-2 for seven days. A composite cardiometabolic risk score was calculated by transforming metabolic syndrome (MetS) components and summing z-scores. Multivariable regression models were fitted to relate waking and sleep estimates with the MetS z-score after adjustment for covariates. Compositional data analysis was used to predict the MetS z-score when fixed durations of time were reallocated from one characteristic to another. MVPA (per 10 min/day increase; β = −7.80, P < 0.01), LPA (per 30 min/day increase; β = −0.29, P = 0.04), and sleep efficiency (β = −0.10, P = 0.04) were inversely associated with MetS z-score, while sedentary time (per 30 min/day increase; β = 0.34, P = 0.01) was positively associated with MetS z-score. Reallocation of 5 min from MVPA to sleep, sedentary, or LPA resulted in the greatest predicted change in MetS z-score. On average, the reallocation of 5 min from MVPA to other characteristics predicted an 11% increase in triglycerides, 6% decrease in HDL-C, and 5% increase in waist circumference. Lastly, reallocating 30 min of sedentary time to LPA was associated with a modestly lower predicted MetS z-score. This study suggests that MVPA is the most important contributor of MetS and that maintaining MVPA and increasing LPA may be beneficial for reducing cardiometabolic risk among older women.