Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 30, 2025
Assessment of Physical Activity Intensity with Accelerometers and Oxygen Consumption
Published on: June 20, 2025
Association between accelerometer-measured physical activity, glucose metabolism, and waist circumference in older
Miia Länsitie1, Maarit Kangas2, Jari Jokelainen3
1Department of Sports and Exercise Medicine, Oulu Deaconess Institute Foundation sr., Oulu, Finland; Center for Life Course Health Research, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland; Medical Research Center, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
Aims:
To examine the association of physical activity (PA) and sedentary time (ST) with glucose metabolism according to waist circumference (WC) in older people.
Methods:
A population-based sample of 702 individuals (aged 67-70 years) wore wrist-worn accelerometers for two weeks and underwent an oral glucose tolerance test. The associations between moderate-to-vigorous (MVPA) and light (LPA) PA, ST, and glucose metabolism across the tertiles of WC were analysed using general linear regression.
Results:
Among highest WC tertile, LPA negatively associated with fasting insulin (β = - 0.047, 95% CI - 0.082 to - 0.012), HOMA-IR (β = - 0.098, 95% CI - 0.184 to - 0.012), and HOMA-β (β = - 3.367, CI - 6.570 to - 0.783). ST associated with 120 min glucose (β = 0.140, CI 0.021 to 0.260). Among lowest WC tertile, MVPA negatively associated with 30 min insulin (β = - 0.086, 95% CI - 0.168 to - 0.004) and 120 min insulin (β = - 0.160, 95% CI - 0.257 to - 0.063) and positively associated with Matsuda index (β = 0.076, 95% CI 0.014 to 0.139). Light PA negatively associated with 120 min insulin (β = - 0.054, 95% CI - 0.104 to - 0.005).
Conclusion:
With the limitation of the cross-sectional study, reducing ST and increasing LPA may be beneficial for glucose metabolism among abdominally obese older adults. Lean older adults could benefit more from increasing MVPA.
