Physical activity, diet quality and all-cause cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality: a prospective study of 346 627 UK Biobank participants

Joint Associations of Diet and Device-Measured Physical Activity with Mortality and Incident CVD and Cancer: A Prospective Analysis of the UK Biobank Study

BACKGROUND

We examined the joint associations of diet and device-measured intensity-specific physical activity (PA) with all-cause mortality (ACM), cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer incidence.

METHODS

We used data from 79,988 participants from the UK Biobank, a population-based prospective cohort study. Light PA (LPA), moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), vigorous PA (VPA), and total PA (TPA) were measured using a wrist-worn accelerometer. Diet quality score (DQS) was based on 10 foods and ranged from 0 (unhealthiest) to 100 (healthiest) points. We derived joint PA and diet variables. Outcomes were ACM, CVD, and cancer incidence including PA, diet and adiposity-related (PDAR) cancer.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 8 years, 2,863 deaths occurred, 11,053 participants developed CVD, 7,005 developed cancer, and 3,400 developed PDAR cancer. Compared with the least favorable referent group (bottom PA tertile/low DQS), participants with middle and high (total and intensity specific) PA, except for LPA, had lower ACM risk and incident CVD risk, regardless of DQS. For example, among middle and high VPA and high DQS groups, CVD HR were 0.79 (95% CI, 0.74-0.86) and 0.75 (95% CI, 0.69-0.82), respectively. The pattern of cancer results was less pronounced but in agreement with the ACM and CVD incidence findings (e.g., HR, 0.90, 95% CI, 0.81-0.99; 0.88, 0.79-0.98; and 0.82, 0.74-0.92 among high VPA for low, moderate, and high DQS groups, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Device-measured PA reveals novel joint associations with diet on health outcomes.

IMPACT

Our results emphasize the crucial role of PA in addition to a healthy diet for reducing chronic diseases and mortality risk.

Device-measured sedentary time and intensity-specific physical activity in relation to all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality: the UK Biobank cohort study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Understanding the amounts of intensity-specific movement needed to attenuate the association between sedentary time and mortality may help to inform personalized prescription and behavioral counselling. Herein, we examined the joint associations of sedentary time and intensity-specific physical activity with all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality.

METHODS

Prospective cohort study including 73,729 adults from the UK Biobank who wore an Axivity AX3 accelerometer on their dominant wrist for at least 3 days, being one a weekend day, between June 2013 and December 2015. We considered the median tertile values of sedentary time and physical activity in each intensity band to determine the amount of physical activity needed to attenuate the association between sedentary time and mortality.

RESULTS

During a median of 6.9 years of follow-up (628,807 person-years), we documented 1521 deaths, including 388 from CVD. Physical activity of any intensity attenuated the detrimental association of sedentary time with mortality. Overall, at least a median of 6 min/day of vigorous physical activity, 30 min/day of MVPA, 64 min/day of moderate physical activity, or 163 min/day of light physical activity (mutually-adjusted for other intensities) attenuated the association between sedentary time and mortality. High sedentary time was associated with higher risk of CVD mortality only among participants with low MVPA (HR 1.96; 95% CI 1.23 to 3.14).

CONCLUSIONS

Different amounts of each physical activity intensity may attenuate the association between high sedentary time and mortality.

Wearable device-measured moderate to vigorous physical activity and risk of degenerative aortic valve stenosis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Physical activity has proven effective in preventing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, but its role in preventing degenerative valvular heart disease (VHD) remains uncertain. This study aimed to explore the dose-response association between moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) volume and the risk of degenerative VHD among middle-aged adults.

METHODS

A full week of accelerometer-derived MVPA data from 87 248 UK Biobank participants (median age 63.3, female: 56.9%) between 2013 and 2015 were used for primary analysis. Questionnaire-derived MVPA data from 361 681 UK Biobank participants (median age 57.7, female: 52.7%) between 2006 and 2010 were used for secondary analysis. The primary outcome was the diagnosis of incident degenerative VHD, including aortic valve stenosis (AS), aortic valve regurgitation (AR), and mitral valve regurgitation (MR). The secondary outcome was VHD-related intervention or mortality.

RESULTS

In the accelerometer-derived MVPA cohort, 555 incident AS, 201 incident AR, and 655 incident MR occurred during a median follow-up of 8.11 years. Increased MVPA volume showed a steady decline in AS risk and subsequent AS-related intervention or mortality risk, levelling off beyond approximately 300 min/week. In contrast, its association with AR or MR incidence was less apparent. The adjusted rates of AS incidence (95% confidence interval) across MVPA quartiles (Q1-Q4) were 11.60 (10.20, 13.20), 7.82 (6.63, 9.23), 5.74 (4.67, 7.08), and 5.91 (4.73, 7.39) per 10 000 person-years. The corresponding adjusted rates of AS-related intervention or mortality were 4.37 (3.52, 5.43), 2.81 (2.13, 3.71), 1.93 (1.36, 2.75), and 2.14 (1.50, 3.06) per 10 000 person-years, respectively. Aortic valve stenosis risk reduction was also observed with questionnaire-based MVPA data [adjusted absolute difference Q4 vs. Q1: AS incidence, -1.41 (-.67, -2.14) per 10 000 person-years; AS-related intervention or mortality, -.38 (-.04, -.88) per 10 000 person-years]. The beneficial association remained consistent in high-risk populations for AS, including patients with hypertension, obesity, dyslipidaemia, and chronic kidney disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher MVPA volume was associated with a lower risk of developing AS and subsequent AS-related intervention or mortality. Future research needs to validate these findings in diverse populations with longer durations and repeated periods of activity monitoring.

The association of diet quality and physical activity with cardiovascular disease and mortality in 85,545 older Australians: A longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

A quality diet and an active lifestyle are both important cornerstones of cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention. However, despite their interlinked effects on metabolic health, the 2 behaviors are rarely considered jointly, particularly within the context of CVD prevention. We examined the independent, interactive, and joint associations of diet and physical activity with CVD hospitalization, CVD mortality, and all-cause mortality.

METHODS

CVD-free Australian participants aged 45-74 years (n = 85,545) reported physical activity, diet, and sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics at baseline (2006-2009) and follow-up (2012-2015), and data were linked to hospitalization and death registries (03/31/2019 for CVD hospitalization and all-cause mortality and 12/08/2017 for CVD mortality). Diet quality was categorized as low, medium, and high based on meeting dietary recommendations. Physical activity was operationalized as (a) total moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) as per guidelines, and (b) the composition of MVPA as the ratio of vigorous-intensity physical activity (VPA) to total MVPA. We used a left-truncated cause-specific Cox proportional hazards model using time-varying covariates.

RESULTS

During a median of 10.7 years of follow-up, 6576 participants were admitted to the hospital for CVD and 6581 died from all causes (876 from CVD during 9.3 years). A high-quality diet was associated with a 17% lower risk of all-cause mortality than a low-quality diet, and the highest MVPA category (compared with the lowest) was associated with a 44% and 48% lower risk of CVD and all-cause mortality, respectively. Multiplicative interactions between diet and physical activity were non-significant. For all outcomes, the lowest risk combinations involved a high-quality diet and the highest MVPA categories. Accounting for total MVPA, some VPA was associated with further risk reduction of CVD hospitalization and all-cause mortality.

CONCLUSION

For CVD prevention and longevity, one should adhere to both a healthy diet and an active lifestyle and incorporate some VPA when possible.

A cross-sectional study of the relationship between physical activity, diet quality, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in US adults

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is associated with many diseases, especially cardiovascular disease (CVD). Research into the independent and integrated relationships of physical activity and diet quality with hs-CRP across sex-specific cohorts is lacking.

METHODS AND RESULTS

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data (2015-2018) was used to examine the relationship between physical activity and diet quality with hs-CRP and hs-CRP classified CVD risk using multiple multinormal logistic regression adjusted for covariates including demographics. Physical activity was measured using a self-reported survey and further categorized to those who met (MPAR) or did not meet (NPAR) national recommendations. Diet quality was measured using the Healthy Eating Index-2015, and further categorized to higher (HDQ) and lower (LDQ) diet quality. hs-CRP was also categorized as low, average, and high CVD risk using established cut-points. Physical activity was inversely related to hs-CRP in males (p < 0.001) whereas diet quality was inversely related to hs-CRP in females (p = 0.031). Compared to those with NPAR and LDQ, the hs-CRP for males with NPAR and HDQ and females with MPAR and HDQ was 1.18 mg/L and 0.75 mg/L lower respectively. Although, diet quality was inversely associated with high CVD risk in both sexes (p < 0.05), the lowest proportion of high and average CVD risk was observed in males and females with MPAR and HDQ.

CONCLUSION

Physical activity and diet-quality lowered CVD risk regardless of sex. However, the independent effects of physical activity and diet quality on hs-CPR differs between sexes.

Relationship of microvascular complications and healthy lifestyle with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in women compared with men with type 2 diabetes

BACKGROUND

Sex differences exist in the prevalence of microvascular disease (MVD) and healthy-lifestyle adherence. Whether MVD and healthy lifestyles are associated with mortality risk similarly for women and men who have type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remains unknown.

METHODS

The present study included 9992 women and 15,860 men with T2DM from the UK Biobank. MVDs included retinopathy, peripheral neuropathy, and chronic kidney disease. Healthy lifestyle factors consisted of ideal BMI, nonsmoking, healthy diet, regular exercise, and appropriate sleep duration. Sex-specific hazard ratios (HRs) of mortality associated with the MVDs or healthy lifestyles were calculated and women-to-men ratio of HRs (RHR) were further estimated, after multivariable adjustment for potential confounders.

RESULTS

During a median of 12.7 years of follow-up, 4346 (1202 in women) all-cause and 1207 (254 in women) CVD deaths were recorded. The adjusted HRs (95% CI) of all-cause mortality for 1 additional increment of the MVDs were 1.71 (1.55, 1.88) for women and 1.48 (1.39, 1.57) for men, with an RHR of 1.16 (1.03, 1.30). The corresponding RHR was 1.36 (1.09, 1.69) for cardiovascular mortality. Adhering to a healthy lifestyle (≥4 vs. ≤1 lifestyle factor) was associated with an approximately 60%-70% lower risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality without sex differences (P-interaction >0.70). Furthermore, as compared with having no MVD and an unfavorable lifestyle, having ≥2 MVDs but a favorable lifestyle was not associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality either in women (HR = 0.88; 95% CI: 0.49, 1.60) or in men (HR = 0.95; 95% CI: 0.64, 1.40), similarly when considering cardiovascular mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

In T2DM, while MVDs are more strongly associated with mortality risk in women than in men, adhering to a favorable lifestyle is associated with a substantially lower risk of mortality and may eliminate the detrimental impact of MVDs in both sexes.

Associations of Diet with Health Outcomes in the UK Biobank: A Systematic Review

The UK Biobank is a cohort study that collects data on diet, lifestyle, biomarkers, and health to examine diet-disease associations. Based on the UK Biobank, we reviewed 36 studies on diet and three health conditions: type 2 diabetes (T2DM), cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer. Most studies used one-time dietary data instead of repeated 24 h recalls, which may lead to measurement errors and bias in estimating diet-disease associations. We also found that most studies focused on single food groups or macronutrients, while few studies adopted a dietary pattern approach. Several studies consistently showed that eating more red and processed meat led to a higher risk of lung and colorectal cancer. The results suggest that high adherence to "healthy" dietary patterns (consuming various food types, with at least three servings/day of whole grain, fruits, and vegetables, and meat and processed meat less than twice a week) slightly lowers the risk of T2DM, CVD, and colorectal cancer. Future research should use multi-omics data and machine learning models to account for the complexity and interactions of dietary components and their effects on disease risk.

Four-year longitudinal associations of physical activity, waist circumference, and blood pressure in UK adolescents

BACKGROUND

This study assessed the specific influence of physical activity (PA) and waist circumference (WC) on the 4-year growth trajectory of blood pressure in UK high-school students.

METHODS

Four-year longitudinal monitoring of 1501 adolescents was conducted as part of the EoEHHS. Measurements were taken in Grades (G)7, 9, and 11.

RESULTS

Systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) increased over the 4-year period (SBP G7 114.6 ± 8.9 mmHg, G9 118.1 ± 9.7 mmHg, G11 122.8 ± 7.8 mmHg; DBP G7 66.7 ± 6.6 mmHg, G9 68.0 ± 6.4 mmHg, G11 70.0 ± 5.2 mmHg). Baseline WC predicted baseline and growth in SBP, but the strongest contribution to SBP came from changes in WC (β = 0.084, p = 0.002). Baseline PAQ-A score (β = -0.822, p = 0.020) and changes in PAQ-A score (β = -0.650, p = 0.019) were associated with smaller increases in DBP over the 4-year measurement period.

CONCLUSIONS

Baseline and change in WC predicted the growth trajectory of SBP, while baseline and change in PA predicted the growth trajectory of DBP. PA and WC have a prognostic value in predicting changes in blood pressure in adolescents. Increasing PA during adolescence could slow the rise in DBP over time. This is meaningful for future hypertension and CVD risk reduction into adulthood.

IMPACT

Hypertension in adolescents is a growing health problem that is often overlooked. Baseline and changes in waist circumference over a 4-year period predicted development of systolic blood pressure, while baseline and changes in physical activity predicted development of diastolic blood pressure. Physical activity and waist circumference have a prognostic value in predicting changes in blood pressure in adolescents and could be valuable in planning programmes to prevent hypertension in similar communities and reduce the risk of future adult hypertension.

Associations of glycosylated hemoglobin, pre-diabetes, and type 2 diabetes with incident lung cancer: A large prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

The association of pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes (T2D) with incident lung cancer is uncertain, and the incident risk across the glycemic spectrum is unclear. We aimed to explore the associations of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), pre-diabetes, and T2D with incident lung cancer in a large prospective cohort.

METHODS

Leveraging a total of 210,779 cancer-free adults recruited in the UK Biobank between 2006 and 2010. We performed multivariable Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic spline methods to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for the associations of HbA1c, pre-diabetes, and T2D with incident lung cancer.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 11.06 years, 1738 incident lung cancer cases were ascertained. The incidence of lung cancer was 20% higher among people with diabetes (HR: 1.20, 95% CI: 1.02 to 1.42) and 38% higher among people with pre-diabetes (HR: 1.38, 95% CI: 1.15 to 1.65). After dividing people with diabetes by whether taking antidiabetic medications, the incidence was 28% higher among people with diabetes without medications (HR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.02 to 1.61) and 15% higher among people with diabetes with medications (HR: 1.15, 95% CI: 0.93 to 1.41). The increased risk of incident lung cancer for each standard deviation (6.45 mmol/mol) increase in HbA1c was more pronounced across HbA1c values of 32-42 mmol/mol (HR: 1.37, 95% CI: 1.18 to 1.59). The risk was more pronounced among participants <60 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Pre-diabetes and T2D are associated with an increased incidence of lung cancer. The increased risk of incident lung cancer is more pronounced across HbA1c values of 32-42 mmol/mol, which are currently considered normal values.

Associations Between Health Behaviors, Gastrointestinal Symptoms, and Gut Microbiota in a Cross-Sectional Sample of Cancer Survivors: Secondary Analysis from the Chemo-Gut Study

BACKGROUND

Health behaviors, such as diet and exercise, are actions individuals take that can potentially impact gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and the gut microbiota. Little is known about how health behaviors impact GI symptoms and the gut microbiota after anti-cancer therapies.

METHODS

This is a secondary analysis of a cross-sectional study that investigated relationships between GI symptoms, gut microbiota, and patient-reported outcomes in adult cancer survivors. Gut microbiota was assessed from stool samples using 16 S rRNA gene sequencing. GI symptoms and health behaviors were measured via self-report. Descriptive statistics, multiple regression, and correlation analyses are reported.

RESULTS

A total of 334 cancer survivors participated, and a subsample of 17 provided stool samples. Most survivors rated their diet as moderately healthy (55.7%) and reported engaging in low intensity exercise (53.9%) for ≤5 h/week (69.1%). Antibiotic use was associated with more belly pain, constipation, and diarrhea (P < .05). Survivors consuming a healthier diet had fewer symptoms of belly pain (P = .03), gas/bloating (P = .01), while higher protein consumption was associated with less belly pain (P = .03). Better diet health was positively correlated with Lachnospiraceae abundance, and negatively with Bacteroides abundance (P < .05). Greater exercise frequency positively correlated with abundance of Lachnospiraceae, Faecalibacterium, Bacteroides, Anaerostipes, Alistipes, and Subdoligranulum (P < .05).

CONCLUSION

Results provide evidence for associations between antibiotic use, probiotic use, dietary health behaviors, and GI symptoms. Diet and exercise behaviors are related to certain types of bacteria, but the direction of causality is unknown. Dietary-based interventions may be optimally suited to address survivors' GI symptoms by influencing the gut microbiota. Larger trials are needed.

Association between doubly labelled water-calibrated energy intake and objectively measured physical activity with mortality risk in older adults

BACKGROUND

Physical activity or biomarker-calibrated energy intake (EI) alone is associated with mortality in older adults; the interaction relationship between the combined use of both factors and mortality has not been examined. We evaluated the relationship between mortality and calibrated EI and step counts in older adults.

METHODS

This prospective study included 4,159 adults aged ≥65 years who participated in the Kyoto-Kameoka study in Japan and wore a triaxial accelerometer between 1 April and 15 November 2013. The calibrated EI was calculated based on a previously developed equation using EI biomarkers. The step count was obtained from the accelerometer ≥ 4 days. Participants were classified into the following four groups: low EI (LEI)/low step counts (LSC) group (EI: <2,400 kcal/day in men and <1,900 kcal/day in women; steps: <5,000 /day), n = 1,352; high EI (HEI)/LSC group (EI: ≥2,400 kcal/day in men and ≥1,900 kcal/day in women; steps: <5,000 /day), n = 1,586; LEI/high step counts (HSC) group (EI: <2,400 kcal/day in men and < 1,900 kcal/day in women; steps: ≥5,000 /day), n = 471; and HEI/HSC group (EI: ≥2,400 kcal/day in men and ≥1,900 kcal/day in women; steps: ≥5,000 /day), n = 750. Mortality-related data were collected until 30 November 2016. We performed a multivariable Cox proportional hazard analysis.

RESULTS

The median follow-up period was 3.38 years (14,046 person-years), and 111 mortalities were recorded. After adjusting for confounders, the HEI/HSC group had the lowest all-cause mortality rate compared to other groups (LEI/LSC: reference; HEI/LSC: hazard ratio [HR]: 0.71, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.41-1.23; LEI/HSC: HR: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.29-1.19; and HEI/HSC: HR: 0.10, 95% CI: 0.01-0.76). No significant interaction was observed between the calibrated EI and steps with mortality. The spline model showed that 35-42 kcal/100 steps/day of EI/100 steps was associated with the lowest mortality risk.

CONCLUSIONS

HR mortality risk was lowest at 35-42 kcal/100 steps/day, suggesting that very high (≥56 kcal) or low (<28 kcal) EI/100 steps are not inversely associated with mortality. Adherence to optimal EI and adequate physical activity may provide sufficient energy balance to explain the inverse association with mortality among older Japanese adults.

Appropriate exercise prescription in primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease: why this skill remains to be improved among clinicians and healthcare professionals. A call for action from the EXPERT Network†

In Europe alone, on a yearly basis, millions of people need an appropriate exercise prescription to prevent the occurrence or progression of cardiovascular disease (CVD). A general exercise recommendation can be provided to these individuals (at least 150 min of moderate-intensity endurance exercise, spread over 3-5 days/week, complemented by dynamic moderate-intensity resistance exercise 2 days/week). However, recent evidence shows that this one size does not fit all and that individual adjustments should be made according to the patient's underlying disease(s), risk profile, and individual needs, to maximize the clinical benefits of exercise. In this paper, we (i) argue that this general exercise prescription simply provided to all patients with CVD, or elevated risk for CVD, is insufficient for optimal CVD prevention, and (ii) show that clinicians and healthcare professionals perform heterogeneously when asked to adjust exercise characteristics (e.g. intensity, volume, and type) according to the patient's condition, thereby leading to suboptimal CVD risk factor control. Since exercise training is a class 1A intervention in the primary and secondary prevention of CVD, the awareness of the need to improve exercise prescription has to be raised among clinicians and healthcare professionals if optimized prevention of CVD is ambitioned.

Amount and intensity of physical activity and risk of incident cancer in the UK Biobank

Importance

The influence of total daily and light intensity activity on cancer risk remains unclear, as most existing knowledge is drawn from studies relying on self-reported leisure-time activities of moderate-vigorous intensity.

Objective

To investigate associations between total daily activity, including step counts, and activity intensity on incident cancer risk.

Design Setting and Participants

Prospective analysis of cancer-free UK Biobank participants who wore accelerometers for 7-days (between 2013-2015), followed for cancer incidence through national registries (mean follow-up 5.8 years (SD=1.3)).

Exposures

Time-series machine learning models derived daily total activity (average acceleration), behaviour time, step counts, and peak 30-minute cadence from wrist-based accelerometer data.

Main Outcomes and Measures

A composite cancer outcome of 13 cancers previously associated with low physical activity (bladder, breast, colon, endometrial, oesophageal adenocarcinoma, gastric cardia, head and neck, kidney, liver, lung, myeloid leukaemia, myeloma, and rectum) based on previous studies of self-reported activity. Cox proportional hazards regression models estimated hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, smoking, alcohol, education, Townsend Deprivation Index, and reproductive factors. Associations of reducing sedentary time in favour of increased light and moderate-vigorous activity were examined using compositional data analyses.

Results

Among 86 556 participants (mean age 62.0 years (SD=7.9) at accelerometer assessment), 2 669 cancers occurred. Higher total physical activity was associated with a lower overall cancer risk (HR1SD=0.85, [95%CI 0.81-0.89]). On average, reallocating one hour/day from sedentary behaviour to moderate-vigorous physical activity was associated with a lower risk (HR=0.92, [0.89-0.95]), as was reallocating one hour/day to light-intensity physical activity (HR=0.94, [0.92-0.96]). Compared to individuals taking 5 000 daily steps, those who took 9 000 steps had an 18% lower risk of physical-activity-related cancer (HR=0.82, [0.74-0.90]). We found no significant association with peak 30-minute cadence after adjusting for total steps.

Conclusion and Relevance

Higher total daily physical activity and less sedentary time, in favour of both light and moderate-vigorous intensity activity, were associated with a lower risk of certain cancers. For less active adults, increasing step counts by 4 000 daily steps may be a practical public health intervention for lowering the risk of some cancers.

A randomized trial of a theory-driven model of health coaching for older adults: short-term and sustained outcomes

BACKGROUND

Healthy Lifetime, a theoretically driven, personalized health coaching program delivered electronically, including face-to-face videoconferencing, was developed to intervene in early aging to stave off functional decline and minimize the onset/exacerbation of chronic conditions.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the efficacy of a theoretically driven, personalized health coaching program in participants 50 years and older with one or more chronic conditions using a randomized, controlled, pragmatic clinical trial methodology.

METHODS

Participants were randomly assigned to the HL (n = 59) or a usual care (n = 63) group. The HL group received health coaching from a trained nurse over eight weeks. Outcomes were measured at baseline, eight weeks, and 20 weeks (after the 12-week no-treatment phase). Regression modeling with fixed-effect repeated measures was used to account for the longitudinal data collection.

RESULTS

For the HL group, health habits increased at 8 weeks (3.1 units; SE = 1.0; p = .0005; effect size = .15). This difference was sustained at 20 weeks (2.4 units, SE = 0.2; p = .0005). Independent self-care agency improved at 8 weeks in individuals with high blood pressure (13.5 units; SE = 4.37; p = .0023; effect size = .3). However, that difference was not sustained at 20 weeks (p = .47). No significant improvements were shown in the usual care group at 8 weeks or 20 weeks.

CONCLUSIONS

HL participants significantly improved their health habits at 8 weeks and sustained this improvement at week 20 (after a 12-week no-treatment phase) vs. the usual care group. Changing health habits alone has been shown to reduce all-cause morbidity and mortality in chronic disease. The high-functioning, community-dwelling older adults with chronic diseases we studied is an important target population for primary care practices to intervene early in aging to stave off the complications of chronic disease and functional decline.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov (record NCT05070923, 07/10/2021).

Factors associated with diet quality among Brazilian individuals with cardiovascular diseases

BACKGROUND

An individual's dietary pattern contributes in different ways to the prevention and control of recurrent cardiovascular events. However, the quality of the diet is influenced by several factors. The present study aimed to evaluate the quality of the diet of individuals with cardiovascular diseases and determine whether there is an association between sociodemographic and lifestyle factors.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study carried out with individuals with atherosclerosis (coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease or peripheral arterial disease) recruited from 35 reference centres for the treatment of cardiovascular disease in Brazil. Diet quality was assessed according to the Modified Alternative Healthy Eating Index (mAHEI) and stratified into tertiles. For comparing two groups, the Mann-Whitney or Pearson's chi-squared tests were used. However, for comparing three or more groups, analysis of variance or Kruskal-Wallis was used. For the confounding analysis, a multinomial regression model was used. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

In total, 2360 individuals were evaluated: 58.5% male and 64.2% elderly. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) of the mAHEI was 24.0 (20.0-30.0), ranging from 0.4 to 56.0 points. When comparing the odds ratios (ORs) for the low (first tertile) and medium (second tertile) diet quality groups with the high-quality group (third tertile), it was observed that there was an association between diet quality with a family income of 1.885 (95% confidence intervals [CI] = 1.302-2.729) and 1.566 (95% CI = 1.097-2.235), as well as physical activity of 1.391 (95% CI = 1.107-1.749) and 1.346 (95% CI = 1.086-1.667), respectively. In addition, associations were observed between diet quality and region of residence.

CONCLUSIONS

A low-quality diet was associated with family income, sedentarism and geographical area. These data are extremely relevant to assist in coping with cardiovascular disease because they enable an assessment of the distribution of these factors in different regions of the country.

Ranking age-specific modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease and mortality: evidence from a population-based longitudinal study

Background

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a paramount contemporary health challenge. This study examined age-specific effects of 14 risk factors on CVD and mortality in different age groups.

Methods

We analyzed data from 226,759 CVD-free participants aged 40 years and older in the UK Biobank during the period from baseline time (2006-2010) to September 30, 2021. The primary CVD outcome was a composite of incident coronary artery disease, heart failure, and stroke. We calculated age-specific hazard ratios (HRs) and population-attributable fractions (PAF) for CVD and mortality associated with 14 potentially modifiable risk factors.

Findings

During 12.17-year follow-up, 23,838 incident CVD cases and 11,949 deaths occurred. Age-specific disparities were observed in the risk factors contributing to CVD, and the overall PAF declined with age (PAF of 56.53% in middle-age; 49.78% in quinquagenarian; 42.45% in the elderly). Metabolic factors had the highest PAF in each age group, with hypertension (14.04% of the PAF) and abdominal obesity (9.58% of the PAF) being prominent. Behavioral factors had the highest PAF in the middle-aged group (10.68% of the PAF), and smoking was the leading behavioral factor in all age groups. In socioeconomic and psychosocial risk clusters, low income contributed most among middle-aged (3.74% of the PAF) and elderly groups (3.66% of the PAF), while less education accounted more PAF for quinquagenarian group (4.46% of the PAF). Similar age-specific patterns were observed for cardiovascular subtypes and mortality.

Interpretation

A large fraction of CVD cases and deaths were associated with modifiable risk factors in all age groups. Targeted efforts should focus on the most impactful risk factors, as well as age-specific modifiable risk factors. These findings may inform the development of more precise medical strategies to prevent and manage CVD and related mortality.

Funding

The work was supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (grant number: INV-016826 to Hualiang Lin) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant number: 82373534 to Hualiang Lin).

Maintaining brain health across the lifespan

Across the lifespan, the human body and brain endure the impact of a plethora of exogenous and endogenous factors that determine the health outcome in old age. The overwhelming inter-individual variance spans between progressive frailty with loss of autonomy to largely preserved physical, cognitive, and social functions. Understanding the mechanisms underlying the diverse aging trajectories can inform future strategies to maintain a healthy body and brain. Here we provide a comprehensive overview of the current literature on lifetime factors governing brain health. We present the growing body of evidence that unhealthy alimentary regime, sedentary behaviour, sleep pathologies, cardio-vascular risk factors, and chronic inflammation exert their harmful effects in a cumulative and gradual manner, and that timely and efficient intervention could promote healthy and successful aging. We discuss the main effects and interactions between these risk factors and the resulting brain health outcomes to follow with a description of current strategies aiming to eliminate, treat, or counteract the risk factors. We conclude that the detailed insights about modifiable risk factors could inform personalized multi-domain strategies for brain health maintenance on the background of increased longevity.

The Impact of Physical Activity Intensity on the Dynamic Progression of Cardiometabolic Multimorbidity: Prospective Cohort Study Using UK Biobank Data

BACKGROUND

Although many studies have reported on the associations between the amount of physical activity (PA) and the transitions of cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM), the evidence for PA intensity has not been fully evaluated.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore the impact of PA intensity on the dynamic progression of CMM.

METHODS

The prospective cohort of this study using data from the UK Biobank included 359,773 participants aged 37-73 years who were recruited from 22 centers between 2006 and 2010. The diagnoses of CMM, which included the copresence of type 2 diabetes (T2D), ischemic heart disease, and stroke, were obtained from first occurrence fields provided by the UK Biobank, which included data from primary care, hospital inpatient record, self-reported medical condition, and death registers. The PA intensity was assessed by the proportion of vigorous PA (VPA) to moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA). Multistate models were used to evaluate the effect of PA intensity on the dynamic progression of CMM. The first model (model A) included 5 transitions, namely free of cardiometabolic disease (CMD) to first occurrence of CMD (FCMD), free of CMD to death, FCMD to CMM, FCMD to mortality, and CMM to mortality. The other model (model B) used specific CMD, namely T2D, ischemic heart disease, and stroke, instead of FCMD and included 11 transitions in this study.

RESULTS

The mean age of the included participants (N=359,773) was 55.82 (SD 8.12) years at baseline, and 54.55% (196,271/359,773) of the participants were female. Compared with the participants with no VPA, participants with intensity levels of >0.75 to <1 for VPA to MVPA had a 13% and 27% lower risk of transition from free of CMD to FCMD (hazard ratio [HR] 0.87, 95% CI 0.83-0.91) and mortality (HR 0.73, 95% CI 0.66-0.79) in model A, respectively. The HR for the participants with no moderate PA was 0.82 (95% CI 0.73-0.92) compared with no VPA. There was a substantially protective effect of higher PA intensity on the transitions from free of CMD to T2D and from T2D to mortality, which reveals the importance of PA intensity for the transitions of T2D. More PA and greater intensity had a synergistic effect on decreasing the risk of the transitions from free of CMD to FCMD and mortality. Male participants, younger adults, adults with a higher BMI, current or previous smokers, and excessive alcohol drinkers could obtain more benefits from higher PA intensity for the lower risk of at least 1 transition from free of CMD, then to CMM, and finally to mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that higher PA intensity is an effective measure for preventing CMM and mortality in the early period of CMM development. Relevant interventions related to higher PA intensity should be conducted.

How to Keep the Balance between Red and Processed Meat Intake and Physical Activity Regarding Mortality: A Dose-Response Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Non-communicable diseases have become a major threat to public health, with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and cancer being the top two causes of death each year.

OBJECTIVE

Our objective is to evaluate the balanced association between the effect of red and processed meat intake on the risk of death and the effect of physical activity on the risk of mortality, where the risk of death includes all causes, CVDs, and cancers.

METHODS

We searched electronic databases, including PubMed, ISI Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library, for prospective studies reporting risk estimates for the association between the intake of red and processed meat, walking, and muscle-strengthening activity (MSA) and the risk of mortality from all causes, CVDs, and cancer. We extracted fully adjusted effect estimates from original studies and performed a summary analysis using the fixed and random-effect models.

RESULTS

A conventional meta-analysis showed that red meat and processed meat were positively associated with the risk of mortality, and daily steps and MSA were negatively associated with the risk of death. Further analysis of the dose-response relationship showed that a risk reduction (20%) from 39.5 min/week of MSA or 4100 steps/d was equivalent to an increased risk of all-cause mortality from a daily intake of 103.4 g/d of red meat or 50 g/d of processed meat. The risk was further decreased as the number of steps per day increased, but the risk reversed when the MSA exceeded the threshold (39.5 min/week).

CONCLUSIONS

Adherence to physical activity is an effective way to reduce the risk of mortality due to meat intake. However, the total intake of red meat and processed meat should be controlled, especially the latter. Walking is recommended as the main daily physical activity of choice, while MSAs are preferred when time is limited, but it should be noted that longer MSAs do not provide additional benefits.

Exercise and Experiments of Nature

In this article, we highlight the contributions of passive experiments that address important exercise-related questions in integrative physiology and medicine. Passive experiments differ from active experiments in that passive experiments involve limited or no active intervention to generate observations and test hypotheses. Experiments of nature and natural experiments are two types of passive experiments. Experiments of nature include research participants with rare genetic or acquired conditions that facilitate exploration of specific physiological mechanisms. In this way, experiments of nature are parallel to classical "knockout" animal models among human research participants. Natural experiments are gleaned from data sets that allow population-based questions to be addressed. An advantage of both types of passive experiments is that more extreme and/or prolonged exposures to physiological and behavioral stimuli are possible in humans. In this article, we discuss a number of key passive experiments that have generated foundational medical knowledge or mechanistic physiological insights related to exercise. Both natural experiments and experiments of nature will be essential to generate and test hypotheses about the limits of human adaptability to stressors like exercise. © 2023 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 13:4879-4907, 2023.

Impact of the COVID-19 Lockdown on Physical Activity Levels and Health Parameters in Young Adults with Cancer

The lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic impacted physical activity (PA) levels around the world, affecting health parameters in young adults with cancer (YAC). To our knowledge, there is no evidence of the impact of the lockdown on the Spanish YAC. To analyse the changes in PA levels before, during, and after the lockdown of the YAC and its impact on health metrics in Spain, in this study, we utilized a self-reported web survey. PA levels decreased during the lockdown, and a significant increase in PA was observed after the lockdown. Moderate PA had the largest reduction (49%). Significant increases in moderate PA were noted after the lockdown (85.2%). Participants self-reported more than 9 h of sitting per day. HQoL and fatigue levels were significantly worse during the lockdown. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in this cohort of Spanish YAC showed a decrease in PA levels during the lockdown, affecting sedentarism, fatigue and HQoL. After lockdown, PA levels partially recovered, while HQoL and fatigue levels remained altered. This may have long-term physical effects such as cardiovascular comorbidities associated with sedentarism and psychosocial effects. It is necessary to implement strategies such as cardio-oncology rehabilitation (CORE), an intervention that can be delivered online, potentially improving participants' health behaviours and outcomes.

The associations of physical activity and lifetime depression with all-cause and cause-specific mortality: evidence from a prospective cohort study

This study aims to explore the joint associations of physical activity and lifetime depression with all-cause and cause-specific mortality. The present study using data from UK Biobank, included 316568 participants aged 37 to 73 years recruited from 22 centers between 2006 and 2010. Total physical activity (TPA), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and vigorous physical activity (VPA), assessed by metabolic equivalent task (MET) were used and Cox-proportional hazard models were performed in this study. The incidence rate of all-cause, CVD, and cancer mortality was 4.35(95%CI: 4.29-4.42), 0.69 (95%CI: 0.67-0.72), and 2.23 (95%CI: 2.19-2.28) per 1000 person-years after an average follow-up time of 12.49 years. Lower levels of TPA, MVPA, and VPA were all independently associated with elevated risk of all-cause and cancer mortality. Lifetime depression was significantly associated with increased risk of all-cause (HR=1.46, 95%CI: 1.40-1.52), CVD (HR=1.48, 95%CI: 1.33-1.64), and cancer mortality (HR=1.13, 95%CI: 1.06-1.21). Significant interactive effect of low levels of TPA, MVPA, and VPA and lifetime depression on all-cause mortality were found in this study. The risk of all-cause mortality associated with lifetime depression was deteriorated with low levels of physical activity. Relevant interventions for regular PA should be performed among depressed population.

The brain's weakness in the face of trauma: How head trauma causes the destruction of the brain

Of all our organs, the brain is perhaps the best protected from trauma. The skull has evolved to enclose it and, within the skull, the brain floats in a protective bath of cerebrospinal fluid. It is becoming evident, however, that head trauma experienced in young adult life can cause a dementia that appears decades later. The level of trauma that induces such destruction is still being assessed but includes levels well below that which cracks the skull or causes unconsciousness or concussion. Clinically this damage appears as dementia, in people who played body-contact sports in their youth or have survived accidents or the blasts of combat; and appears also, we argue, in old age, without a history of head trauma. The dementias have been given different names, including dementia pugilistica (affecting boxers), chronic traumatic encephalopathy (following certain sports, particularly football), traumatic brain injury (following accidents, combat) and Alzheimer's (following decades of life). They share common features of clinical presentation and neuropathology, and this conceptual analysis seeks to identify features common to these forms of brain injury and to identify where in the brain the damage common to them occurs; and how it occurs, despite the protection provided by the skull and cerebrospinal fluid. The analysis suggests that the brain's weak point in the face of trauma is its capillary bed, which is torn by the shock of trauma. This identification in turn allows discussion of ways of delaying, avoiding and even treating these trauma-induced degenerations.