Sociodemographic and clinical correlates of device-measured sedentary behaviour in multiple sclerosis.
Brenda Jeng, Jeffer E Sasaki, Katie L Cederberg and 1 others
PMID 31094587WHAT IT FOUND
People with MS spend nearly 9 hours a day sedentary.
Those who are older, have progressive MS, or higher disability spend even more time sitting in long, uninterrupted bouts. Self-report likely underestimates this burden, so objective monitoring is needed to target interventions.
Key findings
01The sample spent an average of 542.8 minutes (9.1 hours) sedentary per day, which is higher than previous self-reported estimates of 450-480 minutes.
02Persons with progressive MS, those who were unemployed, and those with higher disability status or older age had significantly higher volumes of sedentary behavior and longer, uninterrupted sedentary bouts.
03Age and disability status were the primary independent predictors of the pattern of sedentary behavior, explaining 8% to 12% of the variance in breaks and bout lengths.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The sample was predominantly Caucasian, female, college-educated, and had higher incomes, which may limit generalizability to other demographics. Persons with severe non-ambulatory disease (wheelchair/scooter users or bedridden) were excluded, so findings do not apply to the most disabled patients. The study did not verify that participants wore the accelerometer correctly throughout the day. The device could not distinguish between different types of sedentary activities (e.g., watching TV vs. working at a desk).
Declared interests
The authors report no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that patient-reported sitting time is accurate. This study found that device-measured sedentary time was nearly 9 hours per day, significantly higher than previous self-reported estimates of 7.5 to 8 hours. Relying on self-report may lead to underestimating the need for intervention.