Abstract:
Objective To investigate the dose-response relationships between step count, step intensity and aerobic steps and frailty in older women.
Methods Daily steps, step intensity (Peak 1- and 30-minute stepping cadences) and aerobic steps (continuous steps of ≥10 minutes at a pace of ≥60 steps per minute) were measured using the ActiGraph triaxial accelerometer among 1099 older women aged 60-70 years. The frailty of the older women was assessed according to the frailty phenotype. Logistic regression and restricted cubic spline curve were used to analyse the associations between step counts, step intensity and aerobic steps and frailty.
Results After adjusting for other confounders, there was a significant association between step intensity and prefrailty, and a non-linear association between aerobic steps and frailty. As the number of aerobic steps increased, the prevalence of frailty gradually decreased, and when the number of aerobic steps reached 4000, the decrease levelled off.
Conclusion There is a dose-response relationship between aerobic steps, but not total step counts, and frailty, and frailty may be best improved when aerobic steps reach about 4000 steps per day.