@Article{info:doi/10.2196/43123,
author="Shapira-Daniels, Ayelet
and Kornej, Jelena
and Spartano, Nicole L
and Wang, Xuzhi
and Zhang, Yuankai
and Pathiravasan, Chathurangi H
and Liu, Chunyu
and Trinquart, Ludovic
and Borrelli, Belinda
and McManus, David D
and Murabito, Joanne M
and Benjamin, Emelia J
and Lin, Honghuang",
title="Step Count, Self-reported Physical Activity, and Predicted 5-Year Risk of Atrial Fibrillation: Cross-sectional Analysis",
journal="J Med Internet Res",
year="2023",
month="Mar",
day="6",
volume="25",
pages="e43123",
keywords="atrial fibrillation; physical activity; fitness tracker; cardiovascular epidemiology; fitness; exercise; tracker; cardiology; heart; walk; step count; smartwatch; wearable; risk; cross-sectional analysis",
abstract="Background: Physical inactivity is a known risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF). Wearable devices, such as smartwatches, present an opportunity to investigate the relation between daily step count and AF risk. Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the association between daily step count and the predicted 5-year risk of AF. Methods: Participants from the electronic Framingham Heart Study used an Apple smartwatch. Individuals with diagnosed AF were excluded. Daily step count, watch wear time (hours and days), and self-reported physical activity data were collected. Individuals' 5-year risk of AF was estimated, using the Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research in Genomic Epidemiology (CHARGE)--AF score. The relation between daily step count and predicted 5-year AF risk was examined via linear regression, adjusting for age, sex, and wear time. Secondary analyses examined effect modification by sex and obesity (BMI≥30 kg/m2), as well as the relation between self-reported physical activity and predicted 5-year AF risk. Results: We examined 923 electronic Framingham Heart Study participants (age: mean 53, SD 9 years; female: n=563, 61{\%}) who had a median daily step count of 7227 (IQR 5699-8970). Most participants (n=823, 89.2{\%}) had a <2.5{\%} CHARGE-AF risk. Every 1000 steps were associated with a 0.08{\%} lower CHARGE-AF risk (P<.001). A stronger association was observed in men and individuals with obesity. In contrast, self-reported physical activity was not associated with CHARGE-AF risk. Conclusions: Higher daily step counts were associated with a lower predicted 5-year risk of AF, and this relation was stronger in men and participants with obesity. The utility of a wearable daily step counter for AF risk reduction merits further investigation. ",
issn="1438-8871",
doi="10.2196/43123",
url="https://www.jmir.org/2023/1/e43123",
url="https://doi.org/10.2196/43123",
url="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36877540"
}