%0 Journal Article
%@ 1438-8871
%I JMIR Publications
%V 25
%N 
%P e43123
%T Step Count, Self-reported Physical Activity, and Predicted 5-Year Risk of Atrial Fibrillation: Cross-sectional Analysis
%A Shapira-Daniels,Ayelet
%A Kornej,Jelena
%A Spartano,Nicole L
%A Wang,Xuzhi
%A Zhang,Yuankai
%A Pathiravasan,Chathurangi H
%A Liu,Chunyu
%A Trinquart,Ludovic
%A Borrelli,Belinda
%A McManus,David D
%A Murabito,Joanne M
%A Benjamin,Emelia J
%A Lin,Honghuang
%+ Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, 55 North Lake Avenue, Worcester, MA, 01655, United States, 1 774 455 4881, Honghuang.Lin@umassmed.edu
%K atrial fibrillation
%K physical activity
%K fitness tracker
%K cardiovascular epidemiology
%K fitness
%K exercise
%K tracker
%K cardiology
%K heart
%K walk
%K step count
%K smartwatch
%K wearable
%K risk
%K cross-sectional analysis
%D 2023
%7 6.3.2023
%9 Original Paper
%J J Med Internet Res
%G English
%X 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. 
%M 36877540
%R 10.2196/43123
%U https://www.jmir.org/2023/1/e43123
%U https://doi.org/10.2196/43123
%U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36877540