This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Costa, M. Articles by Steptoe, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Costa, M. Articles by Steptoe, A. Related Collections Exercise Blood Pressure

Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring Is Associated With Reduced Physical Activity During Everyday Life

From the Department of Psychology (M.C.), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; and Department of Psychology, St. George’s Hospital Medical School (M.C., J.G., A.S.), University of London, London, United Kingdom.

Address reprint requests to: Dr. Andrew Steptoe, Department of Psychology, St. George’s Hospital Medical School, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE, UK.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the impact on noninvasive ambulatory blood pressure monitoring on physical activity measured objectively by use of triaxial accelerometers.

METHODS: Twenty-four working men and women performed ambulatory blood pressure plus activity monitoring for 1 working day and evening and activity monitoring alone for a separate day and evening. Blood pressure measures were taken at 20-minute intervals during the day and 30-minute intervals in the evening and were accompanied by diary assessments of mood, location, and posture. Comparisons were made of energy expenditure on the 2 days and of activity levels during the minutes surrounding each blood pressure reading and diary completion.

RESULTS: Energy expenditure assessed in terms of activity calories per hour was significantly lower during blood pressure plus activity monitoring compared with activity monitoring alone (mean 37.3, SD = 16.3 vs. mean = 43.0, SD = 18.7 kcal, respectively:

p = .02). Energy expenditure was lower during the 4 minutes surrounding each blood pressure reading than in the intervals between blood pressure readings. However, energy expenditure was also lower in the intervals between blood pressure readings than during comparable times on the activity only monitoring day. Blood pressure, heart rate, and physical activity were moderately correlated within individuals.

CONCLUSIONS: Ambulatory blood pressure recording using automated sphygmomanometers is associated with reduced physical activity during the monitoring day. This is due partly to regular periods of immobility during cuff inflation and deflation and diary completion and partly to more general self-imposed restrictions on activity. This pattern has implications for the representativeness of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, and the construction of ambulatory monitoring diaries.

Key Words: Ambulatory monitoring • physical activity • blood pressure

Abbreviations: BP = blood pressure.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. Steptoe, L. Brydon, and S. Kunz-Ebrecht Changes in Financial Strain Over Three Years, Ambulatory Blood Pressure, and Cortisol Responses to Awakening Psychosom Med, March 1, 2005; 67(2): 281 - 287. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Steptoe and M. Marmot The role of psychobiological pathways in socio-economic inequalities in cardiovascular disease risk Eur. Heart J., January 1, 2002; 23(1): 13 - 25. [Full Text] [PDF]