Physical Activity Epidemiology
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Cambridge
Department Name: UNLISTED
Abstract
The overall aim of this programme is to understand the detailed relationships between physical activity and disease, particularly obesity and metabolic disorders. Further, we are also examining how the environment, early life factors such as birth weight, and genes affect the associations between physical activity with obesity and metabolic disorders. We have lead the development and evaluation of an objective method based on the combined measurement of heart rate and body movement for measuring physical activity precisely in free living individuals. This technique is now implemented in our epidemiological studies and in collaboration with researchers in UK and abroad. We will use this method in future studies. We seek to understand population levels of physical activity and how activity levels might change by time and between sub-groups of the population. We have shown that physical activity is positively associated with metabolic disorders in both children and adults and this association is independent of aerobic fitness. This has important public health implications as it may be more feasible to encourage the population to increase their levels of activity rather than improving aerobic fitness which is likely to include more vigorous exercise. We will seek to further examine the importance of physical activity in the causation of disease and how these associations differ between sub groups of the population. For example, we will include precise measurements of physical activity and body composition from early age in various birth cohorts. Finally, we will examine the heritability of activity in twin studies and the genetic determinants of activity in large scale observational studies.
Technical Summary
Physical activity is assumed to be a key determinant of both obesity and metabolic diseases. However, the detail of this association is not fully clear. A major reason for this is that physical activity is typically poorly measured in epidemiological studies. The overall goal is to understand how physical activity and sedentary behaviour affect the health of people across the lifespan. AIMS The physical activity programme is divided into three different areas of research and the overall aims of the each of the areas are; 1. MEASUREMENT OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY; Develop and evaluate methods for assessing physical activity in epidemiological studies 2. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, SEDENTARY BEHAVIOUR AND CAUSATION OF DISEASE; Understand the role of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in the causation of obesity, diabetes and other chronic diseases 3. BIOLOGICAL DETERMINANTS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND SEDENTARY BEHAVIOUR; Understand the determinants, specifically the biological determinants (genotype and early life factors), of physical activity and sedentary behaviour and how these variables may modify the association between physical activity, obesity and related metabolic disorders MEASUREMENTS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY Measurement precision of exposure variables such as physical activity is key in epidemiological research. We are evaluating various objective methods for assessing physical activity including a combined heart rate and movement sensor (the Actiheart) for use in large-scale epidemiological studies. Our results show that this method is more accurate than other comparable objective activity assessment methods in both children and adults for assessing physical activity energy expenditure. However, these studies are restricted to confined settings and we are currently undertaking free living validation work using doubly labelled water (DLW) as the criterion method in UK children and adults. Preliminary data from these studies suggest that the combined heart rate and movement sensing is valid for estimating free living PAEE without any systematic error. It is, however unknown whether the validity of combined heart rate and movement sensing and other movement sensors is influenced by age, culture, climate and other environmental factors. We have therefore initiated studies to examine how different environmental conditions may affect the validity of this method. The next generation of objective measurement instruments will have the possibility to detect different types of activities performed. We have initiated work on developing a high frequency (80 Hz) sampling movement sensor in collaboration with industry for activity type classification. Our work on self-reported physical activity include the development self-report physical activity instruments specifically fit for purpose with the aim to establish a portfolio of questionnaires developed for different age groups, time frames, and assessing different domains of activity. This includes testing the reliability and validity of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer (EPIC) physical activity questionnaire across 10 countries in Europe. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN THE CAUSATION OF DISEASE We aim to examine the complex interrelationships between sedentary behaviour and physical activity with morbidity, mortality and intermediate metabolic traits, throughout life. We aim to explore the direction of associations between physical activity, sedentary behaviour and health outcomes and how physical activity and sedentary behaviour may interact in relation to health. A long term goal is to understand how precisely measured physical activity and sedentary behaviour in childhood may influence on adult health. BIOLOGICAL DETERMINANTS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY Our overall aim is to understand the biological determinants of physical activity including birth weight, infancy and childhood growth, motor development and genotype and how these factors may modify the association between physical
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
Soren Brage (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Yerrakalva D
(2023)
Associations between change in physical activity and sedentary time and health-related quality of life in older english adults: the EPIC-Norfolk cohort study.
in Health and quality of life outcomes
Yerrakalva D
(2022)
Bidirectional associations of accelerometer-assessed physical activity and sedentary time with physical function among older English adults: the EPIC-Norfolk cohort study
in European Journal of Ageing
Winters-VAN Eekelen E
(2021)
Objectively Measured Physical Activity and Body Fatness: Associations with Total Body Fat, Visceral Fat, and Liver Fat.
in Medicine and science in sports and exercise
Related Projects
Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Award Value |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
MC_UU_00006/1 | 01/04/2020 | 31/03/2025 | £6,002,000 | ||
MC_UU_00006/2 | Transfer | MC_UU_00006/1 | 01/04/2020 | 31/03/2025 | £4,022,000 |
MC_UU_00006/3 | Transfer | MC_UU_00006/2 | 01/04/2020 | 31/03/2025 | £3,576,000 |
MC_UU_00006/4 | Transfer | MC_UU_00006/3 | 01/04/2020 | 31/03/2025 | £3,394,000 |
MC_UU_00006/5 | Transfer | MC_UU_00006/4 | 01/04/2020 | 31/03/2025 | £2,987,000 |
MC_UU_00006/6 | Transfer | MC_UU_00006/5 | 01/04/2020 | 31/03/2025 | £3,455,000 |
MC_UU_00006/7 | Transfer | MC_UU_00006/6 | 01/04/2020 | 31/03/2025 | £3,715,000 |
Description | Citation in Physical Activity Alliance letter to Joe Biden |
Geographic Reach | North America |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
URL | https://paamovewithus.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/PAA-Letter-to-Next-Admin-FINAL.pdf |
Description | Citations in WHO evidence review for walking and cycling (SB) |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
URL | https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/354589 |
Description | Member of the International Expert Panel for the Sedentary Behaviour Research Network (SBRN) Education-Related Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines (KW) |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
Guideline Title | WHO Guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour |
Description | Referenced in World Health Organisation report for 2020 Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in clinical guidelines |
URL | https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240015111 |
Description | BBC News - Metabolism peaks at age one and tanks after 60 (SB) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Dr Soren Brage provided a comment to BBC News on new paper Science Paper "Daily energy expenditure through the human life course" https://science.sciencemag.org/content/373/6556/808 on which he was not an author. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-58186710 |
Description | BBC Radio Cambridgeshire - Metabolism peaks at age one and tanks after 60 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Dr Soren Brage was interviewed by BBC Radio Cambridgeshire (starts 3:26), where he discussed the results of a new paper Science Paper "Daily energy expenditure through the human life course" https://science.sciencemag.org/content/373/6556/808 on which he was not an author, and how being physically active can help prevent weight gain and improve health. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p09ptsl0 |
Description | Commentary Box Sports - Sports prevents close to 4 million deaths a year (TS) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Dr Tessa Strain was quoted in an online news article. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://commentaryboxsports.com/sports-prevents-close-to-4-million-deaths-a-year-wel-nl/ |
Description | Daily Mail - sedentary behaviour (PD) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Programme member Dr Paddy Dempsey interviewed by Daily Mail journalist on sedentary behaviours. Quoted in Daily Mail article ''Why doing the housework really can keep you fit: If you want to have a healthy body and mind, don't spend hours sitting down, experts say". |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-9160745/Why-doing-housework-really-fit.html |
Description | Designing an active future (KW) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Dr Katrien Wijndaele was part of a formal working group held at the Moller Institute Cambridge. The aims of the working group were: To identify the changes we need to make, if the UK (and other countries) are going to crack the problem of physical inactivity. To create new insights, working relationships, collaborations and streams of co-ordinated, multi-disciplinary projects to drive change. To frame the problem in a new way and ask penetrating questions to inform policy choices. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | ISPAH SBC Mentoring Workshop (KW) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Dr Katrien Wijndaele organised an international mentoring workshop for members of the ISPAH Sedentary Behaviour Council, held in October 2020 virtually. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | ISPAH SBC Podcast (KW) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Dr Katrien Wijndaele hosted the Sedentary Behaviour Council Podcast - aired as part of the International Conference of Physical Activity and Health (October 2020). This was held virtually, and is likely to have increased awareness and interest of researchers to become SBC members. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | MRC and Nature Medicine - Largest ever study using wearable devices |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | MRC press release "Largest ever study using wearable devices finds physical activity is beneficial for health, and more intense activity is better", which was also issued to several local and specialist news outlets by MRC Epidemiology Unit (local/specialist). Nature Medicine also included it in a media release of new papers. Reported by Daily Mail https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-8635361/Exercise-Turning-12-minute-stroll-7-minute-power-walk-daily-lowers-risk-early-death.html, Cambridge Network https://www.cambridgenetwork.co.uk/news/largest-ever-study-using-wearable-devices-finds-physical-activity-beneficial-health-and-more and at least six other online news outlets. Soren Brage interview with Australian Radio show 3AW 693 News Talk https://www.3aw.com.au/want-to-live-longer-researchers-say-you-should-add-a-two-minute-brisk-walk-to-your-day/. Paddy Dempsey interviewed by Cosmos Magazine https://cosmosmagazine.com/uncategorized/cosmos-qa-steps-along-the-exercise-path/. Article in University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine newsletter on 28/08/2020. Tweeted and retweeted by more than 890 twitter users. Altmetric score of 492 on 13/01/2021 https://www.altmetric.com/details/88399580 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.mrc-epid.cam.ac.uk/blog/largest-study-wearable-devices-activity/ |
Description | Oral presentation at the 9th International Society for Physical Activity and Health Congress (EK) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Elsa Kobiessi presented at the 9th International Society for Physical Activity and Health Congress on 25th October 2022 in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The talk was titled 'A systematic review and taxonomy of metrics/methods used to describe device-measured movement behaviour patterns', and provided a good opportunity for follow up questions after the session. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://congress2022.ispah.org/scientific-programme/ |
Description | Poster Presentation at the 8th International Conference on Ambulatory Monitoring of Physical Activity and Movement (TG) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Tomas Gonzales presented a poster in person at the 8th International Conference on Ambulatory Monitoring of Physical Activity and Movement. The poster was titled 'Resting heart rate as biomarker for tracking change in cardiorespiratory fitness: The Fenland Study', and received good attention and follow up questions. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://ismpb.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/ICAMPAM-Program-2022_post-updates-1-1.pdf |
Description | Press Release - Fitness levels can be accurately predicted using wearable devices (SB/TG) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | University of Cambridge Press Release "Fitness levels can be accurately predicted using wearable devices - no exercise required" for npj Digital Medicine paper "Longitudinal cardio-respiratory fitness prediction through free-living wearable sensors". Accompanied by Unit Research News article and social media promotion. Reported in News Medical, Tech Explorist and nine other online medical, science and technology news outlets. University of Cambridge News post shared more than 1,000 times across social media channels. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/fitness-levels-can-be-accurately-predicted-using-wearable-device... |
Description | Press release - Physical Activity Volume, Intensity and CVD (PD) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | European Society of Cardiology Press Release for European Heart Journal article 'Physical Activity Volume, Intensity and Incident Cardiovascular Disease', which also includes another related paper. Joint Press Release 'Wearable device study in 88,000 people shows the heart health benefits of more intense physical activity' issued by MRC Epidemiology and University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust. Twitter thread on Unit Twitter account, posts on Unit Facebook and LinkeIn, and post and story on Unit Instagram. Paddy Dempsey interviewed by and quoted in El Pais on 24/11/2022 and Times on 03/12/2022. Reported by BBC online, Telegraph, Time magazine, Independent, Yahoo news and several specialist outlets including MedXpress and WebMD. Press Association report picked up by more than 250 outlets including Express and Star and also reported by several specialist online news outlets. Tweeted by >700 twitter users. Unit blog article received 319 Unique page views by 20/12/2022. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.mrc-epid.cam.ac.uk/blog/2022/10/28/wearable-device-heart-health-benefits-more-intense-ph... |
Description | Quoted in New Scientist (TS) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Dr Tessa Strain spoke with a journalist from New Scientist, and was quoted in the article "Living by the numbers" in September 2021 issue of New Scientist. (Title "5 fruit and veg, 8 hours' sleep: Should we trust daily health targets?" in online version.). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://institutions.newscientist.com/article/mg25133512-200-5-fruit-and-veg-8-hours-sleep-should-we... |
Description | Quoted in Telegraph article on gyms reopening (TS) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Dr Tessa Strain responded to query from Telegraph journalist Caroline Williams for Daily Telegraph article "Is this the end of the one-hour workout?". Discussed the article and findings of 2020 Nature Medicine article "Wearable device measured physical activity and future health risk." https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-020-1012-3 in phone call. Quoted in article, and discussion also resulted in important changes to article so that it better represented the findings of the 2020 Nature Medicine paper. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health-fitness/body/end-one-hour-workout/ |
Description | Quoted in Telegraph article on muscle strengthening exercise (TS) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Dr Tessa Strain provided a comment to The Telegraph and was subsequently quoted in the article "Why strength training is the secret to midlife weight loss". |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health-fitness/body/strength-training-secret-midlife-weight-loss/ |
Description | SBRN blog article: Sedentary behaviour interventions in real-world conditions: what are the health benefits? |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Sedentary Behaviour Research Network blog article: Sedentary behaviour interventions in real-world conditions: what are the health benefits? Republished on Unit research news blog. Shared on Unit Twitter, Facebook and linked in accounts. Paper tweeted by 113 Twitter accounts. Altmetric score of 83 on 15/01/2021. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.sedentarybehaviour.org/2020/04/20/sedentary-behaviour-interventions-in-real-world-condit... |
Description | Talk on wearable devices at British Heart Foundation Workshop (TS) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Dr Tessa Strain gave a talk on wearable devices at a British Heart Foundation workshop. This was organised by the British Heart Foundation Data Science Centre and the University of Oxford. A mixed audience mainly of academic researchers but also lay members, government civil servants and technology company employees. Dr Strain discussed the issues around obtaining representative data from wearables and was subsequently invited to speak to the Dept of Health on this issue. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://zenodo.org/record/5827260#.YdxRrv7P2Uk |
Description | Trail Running Magazine - Scientists divided over use of face masks while running |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Dr Soren Brage provided a comment to a journalist for Trail Running Magazine, and was subsequently quoted in the article. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.trailrunningmag.co.uk/news/articles/scientists-divided-over-use-of-face-masks-while-runn... |
Description | Twitter - population level physical activity before and during the first national COVID-19 lockdown |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Social Media promotion for article: by Tessa Strain et al. "Population level physical activity before and during the first national COVID-19 lockdown: A nationally representative repeat cross-sectional study of 5 years of Active Lives data in England" The Lancet Regional Health - Europe (2021). https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666776221002519. Retweeted tweets by senior author Paul Kelly on Unit and CEDAR twitter accounts, shared on Unit Facebook and LinkedIn. Article tweeted/retweeted by more than 80 twitter accounts https://www.altmetric.com/details/117846013 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.altmetric.com/details/117846013 |
Description | University of Cambridge - Physical activity prevents almost four million early deaths worldwide each year |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | University of Cambridge Press Release "Physical activity prevents almost four million early deaths worldwide each year" for Lancet Global Health paper "Use of the prevented fraction for the population to determine deaths averted by existing prevalence of physical activity: a descriptive study." Published on Unit research news http://www.mrc-epid.cam.ac.uk/blog/physical-activity-prevents-four-million-early-deaths-worldwide/ and shared on Unit Twitter, Facebook and linkedIn channels. Reported by at least 40 print and online news outlets, including the Daily Mail https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-8433827/Exercise-prevents-26-600-early-deaths-UK-YEAR-new-study-shows.html, Sky TG24 https://tg24.sky.it/salute-e-benessere/2020/06/18/attivita-fisica-morti-evitate, ABC Salud, El Independiente, Yahoo news, Business Insider, Med India and MedicalXpress. Tweeted by more than 530 accounts. Altmetric score of 667 on 13/01/2021 https://www.altmetric.com/details/84209765. Included in University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine newsletter on 06 August 2020. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-06/uoc-pap061620.php |
Description | Yonsei Online Mini-Symposium: Resting Heart Rate |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Dr Soren Brage and Tomas Gonzales spoke at the Yonsei Online Mini-Symposium: Resting Heart Rate, hosted by Yonsei University, South Korea, on Zoom in August 2020. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |