title: Cardiovascular health metrics and accelerometer-measured physical activity levels: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2003-2006.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether relationships exist between accelerometer-measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and other cardiovascular (CV) health metrics in a large sample.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from the 2003-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) collected from January 1, 2003, through December 31, 2006, were used. Overall, 3454 nonpregnant adults 20 years or older who fasted for 6 hours or longer, with valid accelerometer data and with CV health metrics, were included in the study. Blood pressure (BP), body mass index (BMI), smoking status, diet, fasting plasma glucose level, and total cholesterol level were defined as ideal, intermediate, and poor on the basis of American Heart Association criteria. Results were weighted to account for sampling design, oversampling, and nonresponse.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant increasing linear trends in mean daily MVPA were observed across CV health levels for BMI, BP, and fasting plasma glucose (P<.001). Those with a poor BMI and BP had significantly lower mean daily MVPA than those with intermediate and ideal BMIs and BPs (all P<.001). In addition, individuals with an intermediate fasting plasma glucose level had significantly lower mean daily MVPA than individuals at the ideal levels (P<.001). No significant linear trends were observed for cholesterol, smoking, and diet. A significant linear trend was observed for mean daily MVPA and the overall number of other CV health metrics (P<.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Objectively measured MVPA was related to other CV health metrics in this large sample. These results support the inclusion of physical activity in the overall definition of ideal CV health.
authors.affiliation: Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
authors.forename: Tiago V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Barreira
authors.affiliation: Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
authors.forename: Deirdre M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Harrington
authors.affiliation: Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Electronic address: peter.katzmarzyk@pbrc.edu.
authors.forename: Peter T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Katzmarzyk
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002784:Cholesterol; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009749:Nutrition Surveys / Q000639:trends*; D015995:Prevalence; D012907:Smoking; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D002784:Cholesterol
keywords: AHA; American Heart Association; BMI; BP; CV; DBP; MVPA; NHANES; National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey; SBP; blood pressure; body mass index; cardiovascular; diastolic blood pressure; moderate-to-vigorous physical activity; systolic blood pressure