Key result
High functional fitness linked to ~61% lower arterial stiffness odds, but age drives the association.
Why the study?
Central arterial stiffness strongly predicts cardiovascular risk, but its associations with objectively measured physical activity, sedentary behavior, and functional fitness in older adults required examination.
Are objectively measured physical activity, sedentary behavior, and functional fitness independently associated with arterial stiffness in older adults?
Cross-Sectional (n=170)
Are objectively measured physical activity, sedentary behavior, and functional fitness independently associated with arterial stiffness in older adults?
Odds Ratio: 0.39 (95% CI 0.2–0.78)
p-value: p=0.007
Age is the primary independent correlate of arterial stiffness in older adults, overriding unadjusted associations with functional fitness.
Captured external expert commentary on this paper, strongest first. Original sources are linked where available.
“This manuscript investigated the associations of measured fitness, physical activity and arterial stiffness with the cardiovascular risk of older adults. It is a well written and well executed study. However, there is major concern that should be addressed, and might have impact on the outcomes of the study.”
“The choice of covariates should be better justified. Age, sex, BMI, and hypertension are reasonable, but other available clinical factors, such as measured blood pressure, antihypertensive medication, diabetes, smoking, and cardiovascular disease history, may also be relevant.”
“The conclusion should be more cautious. The results show that the association between functional fitness and PWVc-f is largely attenuated after adjustment for age, but the cross-sectional design does not allow strong mechanistic claims about shared age-related physiological processes.”
Association attenuated by age adjustment; leaves open whether fitness independently influences arterial stiffness.
Background: Central arterial stiffness assessed by carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity (PWVc-f) strongly predicts cardiovascular risk. We examined associations of objectively measured physical activity, sedentary behavior, and functional fitness with PWVc-f in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: The study included 170 older adults (124 women; 64–91 years). Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary behavior were assessed by accelerometry, functional fitness by the Fullerton Functional Fitness Test (composite score), and PWVc-f by applanation tonometry. Associations were examined using correlation, hierarchical linear regression, and logistic regression analyses. Results: Elevated arterial stiffness (PWVc-f > 10 m/s) was present in 62.3% of participants. PWVc-f was associated with all functional fitness measures, including the composite score (ρ = −0.338, p < 0.001), but not with MVPA or sedentary behavior. High functional fitness was associated with lower odds of elevated PWVc-f in unadjusted analyses (OR = 0.39, 95% CI 0.20–0.78; p = 0.007), but this was no longer significant after adjustment for age, sex, and anthropometric/clinical characteristics. Neither MVPA nor sedentary behavior predicted PWVc-f. Age remained the only independent correlate across all models. Conclusions: Functional fitness showed stronger unadjusted associations with PWVc-f than MVPA or sedentary behavior. However, after multivariable adjustment including sex and clinical covariates, age emerged as the only consistent independent correlate of PWVc-f. These findings highlight the importance of considering age when interpreting the relationship between functional fitness and arterial stiffness in older adults.
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CÉSAR et al. (2026) conducted a cross-sectional in Community-dwelling older adults (n=170). High functional fitness was evaluated on Elevated arterial stiffness (PWVc-f > 10 m/s) (OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.20-0.78, p=0.007). High functional fitness was associated with lower odds of elevated arterial stiffness (OR 0.39; 95% CI 0.20-0.78; p=0.007), but age emerged as the only independent correlate after adjustment.
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