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Physical fitness, activity and hand-grip strength are not associated with arterial stiffness in older individuals

The journal of nutrition, health & aging volume 19, pages 779–784 (2015)Cite this article

Abstract

Objectives

Whereas evidence exists about the benefits of intensive exercise on cardiovascular outcomes in older adults, data are lacking regarding long-term effects of physical fitness and physical activity on cardiovascular health. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the longitudinal association of physical fitness, physical activity and muscle strength with arterial stiffness measures.

Design

a longitudinal follow-up study (2 years) of data from the B-PROOF study.

Setting

a subgroup of the B-PROOF study (n=497).

Participants

Four hundred ninety-seven participants with a mean age of 72.1 years (SD 5.4) of which 57% was male.

Measurements

All performed at baseline and after two-year follow-up. Arterial stiffness was estimated by pulse wave velocity (PWV) measured with applanation tonometry. Furthermore, augmentation index (AIx) and aortic pulse pressure (PP) were assessed. Physical activity was estimated using a validated questionnaire regarding daily activities. Physical fitness was measured with a physical performance score, resulting from a walking, chair-stand and balance test. Muscle strength was assessed with hand-grip strength using a handheld dynamometer.

Results

The median performance score was 9.0 [IQR 8.0–11.0], the mean physical activity was 744.4 (SD 539.4) kcal/day and the mean hand-grip strength was 33.1 (SD 10.2) kg. AIx differed between the baseline and follow-up measurement (26.2% (SD 10.1) vs. 28.1% (SD 9.9); p < 0.01), whereas PWV and aortic PP did not. In multivariable linear regression analysis, physical performance, physical activity and hand-grip strength at baseline were not associated with the amount of arterial stiffness after two years of follow-up.

Conclusion

Physical fitness, activity and muscle strength were not associated with arterial stiffness. More research is warranted to elucidate the long-term effects of daily and intensive physical activity on arterial stiffness in an elderly population.

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Author information

Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands

    S. C. van Dijk, A. C. Ham, A. W. Enneman, A. G. Uitterlinden, F. U. S. Mattace Raso, A. H. van den Meiracker & N. van der Velde

  2. EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

    K. M. A. Swart, N. M. van Schoor & P. Lips

  3. Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands

    J. P. van Wijngaarden, E. J. Feskens, J. M. Geleijnse, R. A. M. Dhonukshe-Rutten & L. C. P. G. M. de Groot

  4. Department of Internal Medicine, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

    R. T. de Jongh & P. Lips

  5. Department of Clinical Chemistry, Metabolic Unit, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

    H. J. Blom

  6. Netherlands Consortium of Healthy Ageing, Rotterdam and Leiden, the Netherlands

    A. G. Uitterlinden

  7. Department of Internal Medicine and Institute for Cardiovascular Research ICaR-VU, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

    Y. M. Smulders

  8. Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Geriatrics, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

    N. van der Velde

  9. Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Geriatrics, Erasmus Medical Center, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, the Netherlands

    S. C. van Dijk

Authors
  1. S. C. van Dijk
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  2. K. M. A. Swart
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  3. A. C. Ham
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  4. A. W. Enneman
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  5. J. P. van Wijngaarden
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  6. E. J. Feskens
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  7. J. M. Geleijnse
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  8. R. T. de Jongh
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  9. H. J. Blom
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  10. R. A. M. Dhonukshe-Rutten
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  11. L. C. P. G. M. de Groot
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  12. N. M. van Schoor
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  13. P. Lips
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  14. A. G. Uitterlinden
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  15. F. U. S. Mattace Raso
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  16. Y. M. Smulders
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  17. A. H. van den Meiracker
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  18. N. van der Velde
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to S. C. van Dijk.

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Cite this article

van Dijk, S.C., Swart, K.M.A., Ham, A.C. et al. Physical fitness, activity and hand-grip strength are not associated with arterial stiffness in older individuals. J Nutr Health Aging 19, 779–784 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-015-0519-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-015-0519-7

Key words

  • Physical function
  • activity
  • arterial stiffness
  • elderly