Sedentary Time and Metabolic Risk in Extremely Active Older Adults

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Cardiovascular Health
• Metabolic Syndrome

Background:

• Sedentary behavior is increasingly recognized as a significant predictor of cardiometabolic risk, independent of overall physical activity levels.
• Older adults, even those who are physically active, may still accumulate substantial amounts of sedentary time.
• Understanding the specific impact of sedentary behavior in active aging populations is crucial for targeted health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To objectively measure activity levels in active older adults.
• To examine the association between sedentary behavior and the continuous metabolic syndrome score (cMSy).
• To determine if sedentary time predicts cardiometabolic risk independently of other physical activity in this demographic.

Main Methods:

• Recruitment of active older adults (age ≥65) from a masters ski team.
• Objective measurement of daily activity levels using accelerometers for 7 days.
• Calculation of cMSy using waist circumference, triglycerides, HDL, systolic blood pressure, and fasting glucose; compositional analysis of sedentary time (ILR1).

Main Results:

• Fifty-four active older adults (mean age 71.4 years) participated, demonstrating high levels of light and moderate/vigorous physical activity.
• Sedentary behavior (ILR1) showed a significant positive association with increasing cMSy (standardized β = 0.368, P = 0.002).
• This association remained significant and independent of age and biological sex.

Conclusions:

• Sedentary behavior is strongly associated with increased cardiometabolic risk, even in older adults who maintain high levels of physical activity.
• Findings highlight the importance of addressing sedentary time in active aging populations to mitigate cardiometabolic risk.
• Reducing sedentary time may be a critical strategy for promoting cardiovascular health in older adults.