Table 3

Estimated VO2max (mL/kg/min) in association with self-reported and accelerometer-derived physical activity pattern correlates

nEstimated VO2maxLow estimated VO2max
Median (95% CI)% within subgroupORC (95% CI)
Self-report
Commuting habits*
 No active commuting305733.1 (32.8 to 33.4)†371 (ref)
 Any active commuting, further divided into:173834.6 (34.2 to 35.0)230.47 (0.41 to 0.54)
 Partly active commuter, bike67134.8 (34.1 to 35.5)200.41 (0.33 to 0.50)
 Partly active commuter, walking19630.4 (29.3 to 31.6)411.12 (0.83 to 1.52)
 Partly active commuter, mix1930.2 (28.8 to 33.5)210.45 (0.15 to 1.38)
 All year active commuter, bike40738.1 (36.9 to 39.2)100.18 (0.13 to 0.25)
 All year active commuter, walking41533.0 (32.2 to 33.4)310.71 (0.57 to 0.89)
 All year active commuter, mix3034.7 (30.6 to 37.3)230.51 (0.22 to 1.22)
Physical working situation
 Sedentary to light392133.7 (33.5 to 34.1)‡301 (ref)
 Sometimes to frequently heavy94532.5 (32.0 to 33.1)381.44 (1.24 to 1.67)
Exercise habits
 Never138431.0 (30.7 to 31.4)†511 (ref)
 Irregular106731.3 (30.8 to 31.7)430.75 (0.64 to 0.88)
 1–2 times per week103233.5 (33.0 to 34.1)270.35 (0.29 to 0.41)
 2–3 times per week108935.2 (34.8 to 35.7)200.25 (0.21 to 0.30)
 >3 times per week64938.3 (37.8 to 38.9)120.14 (0.11 to 0.19)
Total physical activity
 Sedentary54030.0 (29.1 to 30.5)†631 (ref)
 Light236631.5 (31.2 to 31.9)420.39 (0.32 to 0.48)
 Moderate161334.9 (34.6 to 35.4)210.14 (0.11 to 0.18)
 Regular exercise/training66938.6 (38.0 to 39.1)90.06 (0.05 to 0.09)
Leisure time sitting
 Q1; <4 hours per day112134.1 (33.5 to 34.7)281 (ref)
 Q2; 4–6 hours per day103933.6 (33.0 to 34.2)321.24 (1.02 to 1.49)
 Q3; 6–8.5 hours per day92534.0 (33.5 to 34.5)291.11 (0.91 to 1.36)
 Q4; >8.5 hours per day95833.7 (33.3 to 34.2)321.31 (1.08 to 1.59)
% of time spent in sedentary
 Q1; <47%126734.1 (33.5 to 34.5)†261 (ref)
 Q2; 47%–54%126533.6 (33.1 to 34.1)281.19 (0.99 to 1.42)
 Q3; 54%–61%126633.4 (33.0 to 33.7)331.52 (1.27 to 1.81)
 Q4; >61%126733.0 (32.3 to 33.3)432.44 (2.05 to 2.91)
% of time spent in prolonged sedentary (of total wear time)
 Q1; <13%126634.1 (33.6 to 34.5)†251 (ref)
 Q2; 13%–19%126733.5 (33.0 to 34.0)281.14 (0.96 to 1.37)
 Q3; 19%–26%126533.5 (33.1 to 34.0)351.60 (1.35 to 1.91)
 Q4; >26%126732.7 (32.2 to 33.1)422.18 (1.83 to 2.60)
% of time spent in light physical activity
 Q1; <33%126733.7 (33.2 to 34.0)391 (ref)
 Q2; 33%–40%126633.3 (32.9 to 33.7)340.78 (0.66 to 0.92)
 Q3; 40%–46%126533.5 (33.1 to 34.0)290.60 (0.51 to 0.72)
 Q4; >46%126733.2 (32.8 to 33.8)280.56 (0.47 to 0.66)
% of time spent in moderate physical activity
 Q1; <3.8%126731.6 (31.6 to 32.5)†441 (ref)
 Q2; 3.8%–5.3%126533.3 (32.7 to 33.7)320.62 (0.52 to 0.73)
 Q3; 5.3%–7.2%126633.8 (33.3 to 34.1)290.52 (0.44 to 0.62)
 Q4; >7.2%126734.9 (34.3 to 35.3)260.44 (0.37 to 0.52)
% of time spent in vigorous physical activity
 Q1; <0.02%126630.5 (30.1 to 31.0)†491 (ref)
 Q2; 0.02%–0.1%126631.7 (31.3 to 32.1)430.80 (0.69 to 0.94)
 Q3; 0.1%–0.6%126734.3 (34.0 to 34.7)230.34 (0.28 to 0.40)
 Q4; >0.6%126636.7 (36.3 to 37.1)160.21 (0.18 to 0.26)
  • cAdjusted for sex and age, comparing the lowest sex-specific tertile of estimated VO2maxwith the two higher tertiles.

  • *Analysed both as comparing No active commuting and Any active commuting, as well as further dividing Any active commuting into; Partly commuting, defined as going by bike or walking at least one season out of four; All year commuting, defined as going by bike or walking all year around. Partly and all year commuting ‘walking’ or ‘bike’ were defined as the majority of seasons commuted with that mode of active commuting. Mix was defined when the seasons of active commuting were spent equally between the two modes.

  • †Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance p<0.0001.

  • ‡Significantly different from other subgroup (Mann-Whitney U test, p<0.0001).