Adherence To Physical Activity Guidelines Reduces Arterial Stiffness: Cross-sectional Study Findings In Aging Adults

Arterial stiffness (AS) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular events and mortality. Although the associations between AS, physical activity (PA) and sedentary time are demonstrated in the scientific literature, the comprehension, and the strength of these associations throughout adult life is still unclear. PURPOSE: To describe the association between AS, PA and chronological age throughout adult life. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study based on 487 participants (68% female) aged 18 years old or above. Participants were stratified according grouped by age decades. AS was assessed using applanation tonometry, and the non-invasive gold standard method, carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), was used. PA was objectively quantified using accelerometry and categorized into sedentary time, light PA (LPA), and moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA), along with the daily step count. Participants were then classified as either physically active or inactive based on adherence to international PA guidelines (MVPA >150 minutes/week). Age group comparison used ANOVA. Correlations between PA and AF, adjusted for sex, waist circumference, interaction between mean blood pressure and hypertension, and between dyslipidemia-antidyslipidemic medication, were explored. AS based on international PA adherence was compared using the t-test. RESULTS: Overall, cfPWV was positively assocaited with sedentary time (r = 0.142; p = 0.017), and negatively correlated with MVPA (r = -0.200; p = 0.01), and steps per day (r = -0.193; p = 0.01). In the age group of 60-69 years, participants adhering to international PA guidelines demonstrated significantly lower cfPWV (9.9 ± 2.06 m/s) compared to non-compliant individuals (10.64 ± 2.04 m/s; p = 0.043). CONCLUSION: The results suggest that AS and PA, and sedentary time are correlated throughout the aging process. Additionally, adherence to PA guidelines is associated with lower AS, potentially carrying significant implications for cardiovascular risk management. This work was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology: CIAFEL—Research Center in Physical Activity, Health and Leisure (grant no. FCT/UIDB/00617/2020).