Frontiers in Physiology (Jul 2017)
Time Spent Sitting Is Associated with Changes in Biomarkers of Frailty in Hospitalized Older Adults: A Cross Sectional Study
Abstract
Background: Sedentary behavior has gained prominence in the literature as a risk factor for health and mortality independent of physical activity level; however, little is known about the relationship of sedentary behavior with frailty in older adults. The aim of this study was to investigate if time spent sitting can be used as a discriminator of frailty in older hospitalized persons.Methods: The study included 162 hospitalized inpatients aged ≥60 years. Blood samples were taken for analyzing leukocyte counts and serum concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP). Participants also answered a questionnaire about time spent sitting. Frailty was determined from a combination of CRP concentration and leukocyte count. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed to analyse the predictive power and cut-points for time spent sitting and the presence of frailty.Results: The areas under the ROC curves indicated that time spent sitting was an independent indicator of frailty (area under curve >0.6). The cut-off points for time spent sitting as an indicator of frailty were >257 min/day for men and >330 min/day for women.Conclusions: Time spent sitting is associated with biomarkers of frailty in persons aged ≥60 years, indicating a need for interventions aimed at reducing sedentary behavior in this age group.
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