Accelerometer as a tool to assess sedentarity and adherence to physical activity recommendations after cardiac rehabilitation program

AbstractPurposeTo objectively assess, in stable cardiac patients, the adherence to physical activity (PA) recommendations using an accelerometer at 2 or 12 months after the discharge of cardiac rehabilitation program (CRP).MethodsEighty cardiac patients wore an accelerometer at 2 months (group 1, short-term adherence, n=41) or one-year (group 2, long-term adherence, n=39) after a CRP including therapeutic education about regular PA. PA was classified as “light” (1.8–2.9 Metabolic Equivalent of Task [METs]), “moderate” (3–5.9 METs), or “intense” (>6METs). Energy expenditure (EE, in Kcal) and time (min) spent in these three different levels were measured during a one-week period with the MyWellness Key actimeter (MWK). Motivational readiness for change was also assessed at the end of CRP. Patients were considered as physically active when a minimum of 150min of moderate PA during the one-week period was achieved.ResultsBoth groups were comparable, except for exercise capacity at the end of the CRP which was slightly higher in group 1 (167.5±42.3 versus 140.7±46.1W, P