Changes in Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior During Cardiac Rehabilitation

Abstract Objective To objectively measure changes in both moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary behavior (SB) during and after standard cardiac rehabilitation (CR). Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Outpatient CR center. Participants Patients (N=135) with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who completed CR. Interventions Multidisciplinary CR according to current guidelines. Main Outcome Measures The proportion of time spent in MVPA and SB was objectively measured with an accelerometer. The distribution of time in MVPA and SB was also determined (eg, average length of time periods spent in MVPA and SB). All measurements were obtained before CR, after CR, and at 1-year follow-up. Results Patients' time in MVPA during waking hours increased by .65% (≈5min) during CR ( P =.002) and remained increased at 1-year follow-up ( P =.037). The MVPA distribution did not change. During CR, time spent in SB decreased by 2.49% (≈22min; P P P Conclusions Patients with ACS achieved a small improvement in MVPA time during CR, but MVPA distribution remained unchanged. More substantial improvements occurred for SB time and distribution. However, by the end of CR, patients still spent relatively little time in MVPA and a long time in SB, which is known to be detrimental to cardiovascular health. Although CR programs have the potential to improve physical behavior, our findings highlight the need to develop adjusted CR targets that address the amount and distribution of MVPA and SB.