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Dose-response association between step count and cardiovascular disease risk markers in middle-aged adults
Mark Hamer1, Joanna M Blodgett1, Emmanuel Stamatakis2
1Division Surgery Interventional Science, Institute of Sport Exercise and Health, University College London, London, UK.
Insights
Daily step targets show benefits for cardiovascular health. Achieving around 10,000 steps daily linearly reduces key risk markers like glycated hemoglobin and triglycerides.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Health
- Exercise Physiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Widely circulated daily step targets lack robust population-based evidence.
- Understanding the dose-response relationship between physical activity and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between daily step count and CVD risk markers.
- To determine the optimal daily step target for risk reduction.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 4665 adults (aged 46 years, 51.4% female).
- Step counts measured over 7 days using a thigh-mounted accelerometer (activPAL).
- Dose-response associations examined for glycated hemoglobin, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and C-reactive protein.
Main Results:
- An "L-shaped" dose-response curve observed for most CVD risk markers.
- Linear risk reduction observed up to approximately 10,000 steps per day.
- Controlling for stepping intensity did not significantly alter the observed results.
Conclusions:
- Daily step counts up to 10,000 show a linear reduction in CVD risk markers.
- Evidence supports step-based physical activity guidance for cardiovascular health.
- Further research can explore higher step counts and different populations.
Abstract:
Several step-based daily targets have been widely circulated, but there is a lack of empirical population-based evidence to support such guidance. We examined dose-response associations between step count and classical CVD risk markers (glycated hemoglobin, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and C-reactive protein) in 4665 adults (aged 46 years; 51.4% female) in a cross-sectional study. Step counts were measured from a thigh mounted accelerometer (activPAL) worn over 7 days. The shape of the dose-response curve for most risk markers was "L-shaped," with linear risk reduction up to around 10 000 steps a day. Controlling for stepping intensity did not materially alter our results.
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