Association between physical activity energy expenditure and cardiometabolic risk factor clustering among Chinese adults in 2015

To understand the association between cardiometabolic risk factor (CMRF) clustering and physical activity (PA) levels, we included 86520 Chinese adults aged 18–64 years having at least one CMRF (hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, or obesity) from the China Chronic Disease and Nutrition Surveillance survey in 2015, a nationally and provincially representative investigation with a multistage clustering sampling design. Self-reported PA information was collected with the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire through face-to-face interviews. In view of the obesity epidemic in CMRF patients, PA energy expenditure (PAEE) per kilogram body weight was used, and was defined into four categories: (i) inactivity: 0 ​kJ/kg/day; (ii) low activity: 0–5 ​kJ/kg/day; (iii) moderate activity: 6–11 ​kJ/kg/day; and (iv) vigorous activity: ≥ 12 ​kJ/kg/day. The estimated weighted prevalence (95% confidence interval [CI]) of having 1, 2, 3, and 4 CMRFs was 60.57% (59.48%–61.67%), 28.10% (27.40%–28.79%), 9.82% (9.22%–15.42%) and 1.50% (1.37%–1.63%), respectively. The rate (95%CI) of inactivity, low activity, moderate activity, and vigorous activity was 34.52% (32.69%–36.35%), 22.22% (21.37%–23.37%), 15.98% (15.38%–16.58%) and 27.28% (26.02%–28.53%), respectively. For those having 2, 3 and 4 CMRFs (compared to those having 1 CMRF), the adjusted odds ratio (95%CI) for moderate activity and vigorous activity were 0.91 (0.85–0.98) and 0.92 (0.85–0.99), 0.87 (0.80–0.95) and 0.84 (0.77–0.92), and 0.77 (0.67–0.89) and 0.85 (0.72–1.00), respectively. In conclusion, CMRF clustering was a pandemic among Chinese adults in 2015 and was inversely associated with PA level. PAEE (in kJ/kg/day) may be introduced into PA management practice, especially for populations with high body weight.