Self-reported and device-measured physical activity in leisure time and at work and associations with cardiovascular events—a prospective study of the physical activity paradox

Abstract

The beneficial health effects of physical activity, in particular moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), are well documented, but there is an ongoing scientific debate whether the domain matters, i.e., whether leisure time physical activity is beneficial and occupational physical activity is detrimental to health, referred to as the physical activity paradox. The present study, therefore, analyzed the association between self-reported and device-measured physical activity and cardiovascular events in both domains. A representative sample of 807 individuals was followed for 14.6 ± 1.1 years, in which 59 cardiovascular events occurred. For self-reported data, Cox proportional hazard models showed no effect of physical activity in leisure and at work, while for device-measured MVPA, beneficial associations with total time spent in MVPA and occupational time spent in MVPA were found, but not for leisure time spent in MVPA. When accounting for both domains in the same model, the associations disappeared. These results indicate that it matters how physical activity is measured and that MVPA is beneficial for cardiovascular health, but the domain in which MVPA occurs does not seem to matter.