The association between accelerometer-assessed physical activity and respiratory function in older adults differs between smokers and non-smokers

• Published in: Scientific reports 2019-07, Vol.9 (1), p.10270-9, Article 10270
• Main Authors: Benadjaoud, Mohamed Amine, Menai, Mehdi, van Hees, Vincent T., Zipunnikov, Vadim, Regnaux, Jean-Philippe, Kivimäki, Mika, Singh-Manoux, Archana, Sabia, Séverine
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 692/1807; 692/499; Accelerometers; Accelerometry; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Circadian Rhythm; Cross-Sectional Studies; Exercise; Exercise - physiology; Female; Forced Expiratory Volume; Gravity; Health risk assessment; Human health and pathology; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Life Sciences; Lungs; Male; Middle Aged; multidisciplinary; Non-Smokers; Older people; Physical activity; Respiratory function; Respiratory Function Tests; Santé publique et épidémiologie; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Smokers; Smoking; Tissues and Organs; Vital Capacity
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-46771-y

The association between physical activity and lung function is thought to depend on smoking history but most previous research uses self-reported measures of physical activity. This cross-sectional study investigates whether the association between accelerometer-derived physical activity and lung function in older adults differs by smoking history. The sample comprised 3063 participants (age = 60–83 years) who wore an accelerometer during 9 days and undertook respiratory function tests. Forced vital capacity (FVC) was associated with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA; acceleration ≥0.1  g (gravity)) in smokers but not in never smokers: FVC differences for 10 min increase in MVPA were 58.6 (95% Confidence interval: 21.1, 96.1), 27.8 (4.9, 50.7), 16.6 (7.9, 25.4), 2.8 (−5.2, 10.7) ml in current, recent ex-, long-term ex-, and never-smokers, respectively. A similar trend was observed for forced expiratory volume in 1 second. Functional data analysis, a threshold-free approach using the entire accelerometry distribution, showed an association between physical activity and lung function in all smoking groups, with stronger association in current and recent ex-smokers than in long-term ex- and never-smokers; the associations were evident in never smokers only at activity levels above the conventional 0.1  g MVPA threshold. These findings suggest that the association between lung function and physical activity in older adults is more pronounced in smokers than non-smokers.