Physical Behaviors and Their Association With Adiposity in Men and Women From a Low-Resourced African Setting

in Journal of Physical Activity and Health

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Amy E. Mendham South African Medical Research Council/Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit (DPHRU), Department of Paediatrics, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Health through Physical Activity, Lifestyle and Sport Research Centre (HPALS), FIMS International Collaborating Centre of Sports Medicine, Division of Physiological Sciences, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

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Julia H. Goedecke South African Medical Research Council/Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit (DPHRU), Department of Paediatrics, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Non-Communicable Diseases Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa

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Nyuyki Clement Kufe South African Medical Research Council/Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit (DPHRU), Department of Paediatrics, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Epidemiology and Surveillance Section, National Institute for Occupational Health, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa

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Melikhaya Soboyisi South African Medical Research Council/Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit (DPHRU), Department of Paediatrics, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

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Antonia Smith MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom

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Kate Westgate MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom

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Soren Brage MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom

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Lisa K. Micklesfield South African Medical Research Council/Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit (DPHRU), Department of Paediatrics, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2022-0032
Keywords:
sedentary; moderate to vigorous physical activity; obesity; low- and middle-income countries
First Published Online:
19 Jul 2022
Corrected:
11 Aug 2022
In Print:
Volume 19: Issue 8
Page Range:
548–557
Restricted access

Background: We first explored the associations between physical behaviors and total and regional adiposity. Second, we examined how reallocating time in different physical behaviors was associated with total body fat mass in men and women from a low-income South African setting. Methods: This cross-sectional study included a sample of 692 participants (384 men and 308 women) aged 41–72 years. Physical behaviors were measured using integrated hip and thigh accelerometry to estimate total movement volume and time spent in sleeping, sitting/lying, standing, light physical activity, and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Total body fat mass and regional adiposity were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Results: The associations between total movement volume and measures of regional obesity were mediated by total body adiposity. In men, reallocating 30 minutes of sitting/lying to 30 minutes of MVPA was associated with 1.0% lower fat mass. In women, reallocation of 30 minutes of sitting/lying to MVPA and 30 minutes of standing to MVPA were associated with a 0.3% and 1.4% lower fat mass, respectively. Conclusions: Although the association between physical behaviors and fat mass differed between men and women, the overall public health message is similar; reallocating sedentary time to MVPA is associated with a reduction in fat mass in both men and women.

Mendham (amy.mendham@uct.ac.za) is corresponding author.

Supplementary Materials

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