title: Physical activity measured by accelerometry and its associations with cardiac structure and vascular function in young and middle-aged adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Physical activity is associated with several health benefits, including lower cardiovascular disease risk. The independent influence of physical activity on cardiac and vascular function in the community, however, has been sparsely investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We related objective measures of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA, assessed by accelerometry) to cardiac and vascular indices in 2376 participants of the Framingham Heart Study third generation cohort (54% women, mean age 47 years). Using multivariable regression models, we related MVPA to the following echocardiographic and vascular measures: left ventricular mass, left atrial and aortic root sizes, carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, augmentation index, and forward pressure wave. Men and women engaged in MVPA 29.9±21.4 and 25.5±19.4 min/day, respectively. Higher values of MVPA (per 10-minute increment) were associated with lower carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (estimate -0.53 ms/m; P=0.006) and lower forward pressure wave (estimate -0.23 mm Hg; P=0.03) but were not associated with augmentation index (estimate 0.13%; P=0.25). MVPA was associated positively with log(e) left ventricular mass (estimate 0.006 log(e) [g/m(2)]; P=0.0003), left ventricular wall thickness (estimate 0.07 mm; P=0.0001), and left atrial dimension (estimate 0.10 mm; P=0.01). MVPA also tended to be positively associated with aortic root dimension (estimate 0.05 mm; P=0.052). Associations of MVPA with cardiovascular measures were similar, in general, for bouts lasting <10 versus ≥10 minutes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our community-based sample, greater physical activity was associated with lower vascular stiffness but with higher echocardiographic left ventricular mass and left atrial size. These findings suggest complex relations of usual levels of physical activity and cardiovascular remodeling.
authors: Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, MA (C.A., A.L., M.G.L., E.J.B., J.M.M., S.J.B., R.S.V.) Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA (C.A., N.L.S., E.J.B., J.M.M., R.S.V.) Department of Cardiology, Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark (C.A.).
authors: Charlotte
authors: C
authors: Andersson
authors: Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, MA (C.A., A.L., M.G.L., E.J.B., J.M.M., S.J.B., R.S.V.) Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Boston University, Boston, MA (A.L., M.G.L.).
authors: Asya
authors: A
authors: Lyass
authors: Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, MA (C.A., A.L., M.G.L., E.J.B., J.M.M., S.J.B., R.S.V.) Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Boston University, Boston, MA (A.L., M.G.L.).
authors: Martin G
authors: MG
authors: Larson
authors: Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA (C.A., N.L.S., E.J.B., J.M.M., R.S.V.) The Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA (N.L.S., J.A.V., N.M.H.).
authors: Nicole L
authors: NL
authors: Spartano
authors: The Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA (N.L.S., J.A.V., N.M.H.).
authors: Joseph A
authors: JA
authors: Vita
authors: Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, MA (C.A., A.L., M.G.L., E.J.B., J.M.M., S.J.B., R.S.V.) Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA (C.A., N.L.S., E.J.B., J.M.M., R.S.V.) Sections of Preventive Medicine and Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA (E.J.B., R.S.V.).
authors: Emelia J
authors: EJ
authors: Benjamin
authors: Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, MA (C.A., A.L., M.G.L., E.J.B., J.M.M., S.J.B., R.S.V.) Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA (C.A., N.L.S., E.J.B., J.M.M., R.S.V.).
authors: Joanne M
authors: JM
authors: Murabito
authors: School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, United Kingdom (D.W.E.).
authors: Dale W
authors: DW
authors: Esliger
authors: Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, MA (C.A., A.L., M.G.L., E.J.B., J.M.M., S.J.B., R.S.V.).
authors: Susan J
authors: SJ
authors: Blease
authors: The Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA (N.L.S., J.A.V., N.M.H.).
authors: Naomi M
authors: NM
authors: Hamburg
authors: Cardiovascular Engineering Inc, Norwood, MA (G.F.M.).
authors: Gary F
authors: GF
authors: Mitchell
authors: Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, MA (C.A., A.L., M.G.L., E.J.B., J.M.M., S.J.B., R.S.V.) Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA (C.A., N.L.S., E.J.B., J.M.M., R.S.V.) Sections of Preventive Medicine and Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA (E.J.B., R.S.V.).
authors: Ramachandran S
authors: RS
authors: Vasan
mesh_terms: D056044:Actigraphy; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D016279:Atrial Function, Left; D064752:Atrial Remodeling; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D059289:Vascular Stiffness; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling
keywords: echocardiography; epidemiology; physical activity; vascular measures