Abstract
Introduction:
Physical activity (PA) is associated with cardiovascular health benefits including prevention of age related cardiac remodeling, systolic and diastolic dysfunction, and adaptive pro-hypertrophic effect. In this study we aim to measure the associations between PA and LV structure and function in a diverse Hispanic/Latino population.
Methods:
Participants included 1,818 self-identified Hispanic/Latino men and women, age 45-74 from the Echocardiographic Study of Latinos (ECHO-SOL). Standard echo measures included M-mode, two-dimensional (2-D), spectral, tissue Doppler and color flow. Participants wore an Actical hip accelerometer for 1 week. Multivariable regression models were completed to relate PA to echocardiographic parameters.
Results:
The mean ± SE age for the cohort was 56 ±0.4, 57% were female, the prevalence of diabetes was 28%, hypertension 50%, hypercholesterolemia 49%, and coronary heart disease 7%. Average moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) was 20.9 ± 1.1 min/day and sedentary time ±SE was 736.5 ± 8.1 min/day. In multivariable models adjusted for age, gender, diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, coronary heart disease, alcohol and cigarette use we found the following: left atrium volume index (LAVI) decrease by quartiles of MVPA (p-value<0.001). Global circumferential strain (GCS) decreased across these quartiles of MVPA. Moreover, LAVI decreased by 0.3 per 100 min/day of sedentary time (p-value<0.01) and GCS also decreased across quartiles of sedentary time.
Conclusion:
MVPA was significantly associated with lower LAVI. There was also a significant association with sedentary behavior. Our findings illustrate the complex relationship between PA, sedentary time and cardiac structure and function.