title: Associations of activity monitor output and an estimate of aerobic fitness with pulse wave velocities: the Nakanojo study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We examined the relative contributions of habitual physical activity and aerobic fitness to the prevention of arteriosclerosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Elderly individuals (97 men and 109 women, aged > 65 y) each wore a uniaxial activity monitor continuously for 1 year, with activity data summarized as an average daily step count and duration of activity > 3 metabolic equivalents (METs). Aerobic fitness was assessed by a standardized 5-m walking test measure of maximal walking speed. Central arterial stiffness was determined using an automatic waveform analyzer measure of cardio-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cfPWV was negatively associated with daily step count, duration of activity > 3 METs, and maximal walking speed (P < .05). Multiple stepwise regression analysis revealed that the step count, duration of activity > 3 METs, and maximal walking speed were all significant predictors of cfPWV, accounting for 11%, 7%, and 4% of total variance, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In contrast to findings from studies using potentially fallible questionnaires, our data suggest that a measure of health (arterial stiffness) is more closely related to objective measures of physical activity than to an estimate of aerobic fitness.
authors.affiliation: Exercise Sciences Research Group, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ayabe
authors.forename: Sungjin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Roy J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Shephard
authors.forename: Yukitoshi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aoyagi
mesh_terms: D056044:Actigraphy; D000368:Aged; D062186:Arterial Pressure; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055686:Metabolic Equivalent; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010809:Physical Fitness; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012907:Smoking; D059289:Vascular Stiffness; D016138:Walking