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Approved research

Advancing knowledge on physical activity and health through investigating interrelationships with lifestyle behaviours, fitness, and subclinical outcomes

Principal Investigator: Dr Ulf Ekelund
Approved Research ID: 29717
Approval date: April 6th 2018

Lay summary

The overall aim is to examine the independent and combined associations between obesity, MVPA, sedentary time and CRF with all-cause, cardio-vascular and cancer mortality. 1. To examine the independent and combined associations of MVPA, obesity, sedentary time and CRF associated with mortality? 2. To examine whether physical activity modify the association between obesity (adiposity) and mortality? 3. To examine whether sedentary time mediate the association between obesity and mortality? Obesity, moderate and vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA), sedentary time and cardio-respiratory fitness (CRF) are all associated with a number of various health outcomes and mortality. However, the combined associations between these lifestyle variables and mortality is unknown. Further, it is unknown whether objectively measured PA may modify the association between adiposity (BMI and waist circumference) on mortality and whether objectively measured sedentary time may mediate this association. We will quantify how obesity, physical activity sedentary time and fitness are associated with mortality and the relative importance of physical inactivity, obesity, high sedentary time and low fitness on mortality. This will enable important information for intervention strategies and policy makers. Full cohort n=500,000 for most research questions, n~100,000 for the analyses involving cardio-respiratory fitness and objectively measured physical activity.

Scope extension:

The overall aim is to examine the independent and combined associations between obesity, MVPA, sedentary time and CRF with all-cause, cardio-vascular and cancer mortality.

  1. To examine the independent and combined associations of MVPA, obesity, sedentary time and CRF associated with mortality?
  2. To examine whether physical activity modify the association between obesity (adiposity) and mortality?
  3. To examine whether sedentary time mediate the association between obesity and mortality?
  4. To examine the associations between physical activity and sedentary time with incident non-communicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cancers and cardio-vascular diseases.

5.     To examine whether the associations between sedentary behaviour and physical activity with incident disease and mortality differ by genotype.