Associations of Relative Intensity of Physical Activity With Incident Cardiovascular Events and All-Cause Mortality

Background: The relative intensity of physical activity (PA) can be estimated as the percent of one's maximal effort required.

Methods: We compared associations of relative and absolute intensity PA with incident major cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality in 5 633 women from the Objective Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Health Study (mean age 78.5 ± 6.7). Absolute intensity was measured by accelerometry. Relative intensity was estimated by dividing accelerometer-estimated metabolic equivalents (METs) by maximal MET capacity. Both were aggregated into mean daily hours of light intensity PA (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA). Cox proportional hazard models estimated hazard ratios (HRs) for 1-hour higher amounts of PA on outcomes.

Results: During follow-up (median = 7.4 years), there were 748 incident CVD events and 1 312 deaths. Greater LPA and MVPA, on either scale, were associated with reduced risk of both outcomes. HRs for a 1-hour increment of absolute LPA were 0.88 (95% CI: 0.83-0.93) and 0.88 (95% CI: 0.84-0.92) for incident CVD and mortality, respectively. HRs for a 1-hour increment of absolute MPVA were 0.73 (95% CI: 0.61-0.87) and 0.55 (95% CI: 0.48-0.64) for the same outcomes. HRs for a 1-hour increment of relative LPA were 0.70 (95% CI: 0.59-0.84) and 0.78 (95% CI: 0.68-0.89) for incident CVD and mortality, respectively. HRs for a 1-hour increment of relative MPVA were 0.89 (95% CI: 0.83-0.96) and 0.82 (95% CI: 0.77-0.87) for the same outcomes. On the relative scale, LPA was more strongly, and inversely associated with both outcomes than relative MVPA. Absolute MVPA was more strongly inversely associated with the outcomes than relative MVPA.

Conclusions: Findings support the continued shift in the PA intensity paradigm toward recommendation of more movement, regardless of intensity. Relative LPA--a modifiable, more easily achieved behavioral target, particularly among ambulatory older adults--was associated with reduced risk of incident major CVD and death.