Reference
Strain T, Wijndaele K, Dempsey PC et al. Wearable-device-measured physical activity and future health risk.
Nature Medicine 2020; 26: 1385–1391.
At a glance
The increasing use of physical activity monitoring devices in the general population can become an exciting tool for studies and further analysis.
Through a network harmonization approach, the generic recommendations to a constant and regular sports practice find a scientific basis: the intense physical activity performance is related to a reduced all causes mortality.
What is already known
In recent years the interest in the use of wearable devices to measure physical activity appears to be growing strongly. These systems give users the possibility to measure their energy consumption levels and observe variations in intensity during different exercises.
Currently, the main mortality prevention international guidelines recommend the performance of an excellent physical exercise program. The volume (defined as intensity per time) and the intensity of this activity, however, are not precisely indicated, and they are hardly standardizable.
Defining as PAEE (Physical Activity Energy Expenditure) the energy consumption during physical activity and as MVPA (Moderate-to-Vigorous-intensity Physical Activity) the parameter of variation of the PAEE to moderate and intense activity, this study aims to find the relationship between these wearable devices measured parameters and all-cause mortality.
Design and Methods
The study adopts a network harmonization approach, that utilizes existing, ideally published, validity data to derive a new indirect model without the requirement to conduct de novo fieldwork. Thereby, the researchers combine all data collected through studies performed with accelerometers placed on the dominant hand.
The total examined population is 96,476, belonging to the UK Biobank, with an average age of 62 years and 56% female. Among these, 732 died during the 3-year follow-up.
Main results
Higher PAEE levels, at constant MVPA, relate to a lower all causes mortality risk. Similarly, higher MVPA levels, at constant PAEE, are associated with the same reduced all-cause mortality risk.
These findings show that to practice physical activity is not only appropriate but also recommended with high energy expenditure and high intensity.
What’s new
This study shows that the physical activity benefits in reducing overall mortality can also be confirmed through wearable devices, now widely used.
What the Prospects
Based on this analysis, future studies can confirm these results on other populations, lengthen the follow-up period, modify or deepen the examined parameters. In any case, wearable devices have proven to be useful tools for comfortable, functional, and personalized prevention.
By Alessio Baricich and Daria Cuneo
