Research Question
What are the independent and combined associations of physical activity, sedentary behaviours and various fitness metrics with the risk of developing adverse cardiometabolic conditions and cardiometabolic multimorbidity, and how do these associations vary by sex and race/ethnicity?
Aim
The research project aims to explore the independent and combined role of emerging risk factors for cardiometabolic outcomes and multimorbidity, with a specific focus on physical activity, sedentary behaviours, cardiorespiratory fitness, and other fitness measures.
Specific objectives:
1. To assess the independent and combined associations of physical activity (measured through self-reported methods and accelerometry), sedentary behaviours (such as TV watching) and fitness markers (such as cardiorespiratory fitness and handgrip strength) with the risk of adverse cardiometabolic outcomes and cardiometabolic multimorbidity.
2. To evaluate sex and racial/ethnic disparities in these associations, identifying potential differences in how these markers impact cardiometabolic outcomes across diverse populations.
3. To determine the long-term relevance of these markers to the risk of cardiometabolic conditions, using repeat measures over time.
4. To investigate whether measurement of these markers may help better identify people at increased risk of these conditions than traditional risk factors and can be integrated into clinical care, thus potentially improving preventive strategies and personalized care.