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The association between seven-day objectively measured habitual physical activity and 24 h ambulatory blood pressure: the SABPA study

Abstract

Few studies have examined objective physical activity in relation to 24 h ambulatory blood pressure (BP). We aimed to assess the association of 7-day objectively measured habitual physical activity with ambulatory BP in a sample of African and Caucasian school teachers (n=216, age 49.7 years) from the sympathetic activity and blood pressure in Africans prospective cohort study. Hypertension (ambulatory systolic BP130 and/or diastolic BP80 mm Hg) was prevalent in 53.2% of the sample, particularly in black Africans. The hypertensive group spent significantly more awake time in sedentary activity (51.5% vs 40.8% of waking hours, P=0.001), as well as doing less light- (34.1% vs 38.9%, P=0.043) and moderate-intensity (14.0% vs 19.7%, P=0.032) activities compared with normotensives, respectively. In covariate adjusted models, light-intensity activity time was associated with lower 24 h and daytime ambulatory systolic BP (β=−0.15, 95% confidence interval (CI): −0.26, −0.05, P=0.004; β=−0.14, CI: −0.24, −0.03, P=0.011) and diastolic BP (β=−0.14, CI: −0.25, −0.03, P=0.015; β=−0.13, CI: −0.24, −0.01, P=0.030), as well as resting systolic BP (β=−0.13, CI: −0.24, −0.01, P=0.028). Sedentary time was associated only with 24 h systolic BP (β=0.12; CI: 0.01, 0.22), which was largely driven by night-time recordings. Participants in the upper sedentary tertile were more likely to be ‘non-dippers’ (odds ratio=2.11, 95% CI: 0.99, 4.46, P=0.052) compared with the lowest sedentary tertile. There were no associations between moderate to vigorous activity and BP. In conclusion, objectively assessed daily light physical activity was associated with ambulatory BP in a mixed ethnic sample.

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Acknowledgements

The SABPA study is funded by the North-West University, the North West Education Department, the Medical Research Council of South Africa, the National Research Foundation, Roche Diagnostics, South Africa and the Metabolic Syndrome Institute, France. The funders had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis and interpretation of the data; and preparation, review or approval of the manuscript. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and not necessarily of the funding bodies. MH had full access to the data and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and accuracy of the data analyses. All the authors contributed to the concept and design of the study, the drafting and the critical revision of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to M Hamer.

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Hamer, M., Bruwer, E., de Ridder, J. et al. The association between seven-day objectively measured habitual physical activity and 24 h ambulatory blood pressure: the SABPA study. J Hum Hypertens 31, 409–414 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/jhh.2016.93

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