Modifications of 24-h movement behaviors to prevent obesity in retirement: A natural experiment using compositional data analysis

Abstract

Background Retirement is associated with a more passive lifestyle, and may therefore lead to weight gain. This study aims to investigate longitudinal associations between changes in 24-h movement behaviors and obesity indicators in relation to the transition from work to retirement. Methods The study population included 213 retiring public sector workers (mean age 63.5 years, standard deviation 1.1) from the Finnish Retirement and Aging study. Before and after retirement with a 1-year lag, participants wore an Axivity accelerometer on their thigh and filled in a daily log for at least four days to measure daily time spent sleeping, in sedentary behavior (SED), light physical activity (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Also their body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference was measured twice. Compositional linear regression analysis and isotemporal substitution analysis were used to study associations between changes in 24-h movement behaviors and changes in obesity indicators. Results An increase in MVPA in relation to sleep, SED and LPA was associated with a decreasing BMI (β=-0.60, p = 0.04) and waist circumference (β=-2.14, p = 0.05) over one year from before retirement to after retirement. In contrast, increasing sleep in relation to SED, LPA and MVPA was associated with an increasing BMI (β = 1.34, p = 0.02). Reallocating 60 minutes from MVPA to SED or sleep was estimated to increase BMI by on average 0.8 − 0.9 kg/m2 and waist circumference by 3.0 cm during one year. Conclusions In the transition from work to retirement, increase in MVPA and sleep in relation the remaining behaviors were associated with improvement and worsening, respectively, in obesity indicators. Common life-transitions, like retirement, should be taken into account, when giving recommendations and guidance for physically active life style and sleep.

Longitudinal Associations between 24-h Movement Behaviors and Cardiometabolic Biomarkers: A Natural Experiment over Retirement

“…Thus, sleep efficiency and/or other sleep quality measures should be taken into account in future studies. Finally, given that the current study population was generally leaner, healthier, and more active compared with the survey-only study participants (22), the generalizability of the findings may be limited.…”

“…Participants wore a triaxial accelerometer Axivity AX3 (Axivity Ltd, Newcastle, UK) on the thigh and filled out a daily diary to estimate 24-h movement behaviors: sleep, SED, LPA, and MVPA. Detailed description of the measurement protocol is reported elsewhere (22,26). The accelerometer was fastened to the skin of the front of the right thigh, midway between the iliac crest and the upper line of patella with adhesive waterproof film dressing during the clinical visit.…”

“…Also SED changes during the retirement transition, so that those retiring from manual occupations increase their SED, leading to substantial decreases in physical activity, whereas nonmanual workers sleep more at the expense of less SED (21). These changes in 24-h movement behaviors associate with changes in obesity indicators (22). We observed that increasing the proportion of sleep at the expense of less physical activity, especially less MVPA, was associated with an increase in body mass index and waist circumference (22).…”

“…These changes in 24-h movement behaviors associate with changes in obesity indicators (22). We observed that increasing the proportion of sleep at the expense of less physical activity, especially less MVPA, was associated with an increase in body mass index and waist circumference (22). Moreover, previous studies have suggested that the transition to retirement is also associated with negative changes in cardiometabolic health (23,24), but it is unknown whether retirement-induced changes in 24-h movement behaviors are associated with changes in cardiometabolic biomarkers.…”