Physical Activity Is Associated with Risk Factors for Chronic Disease across Adult Women's Life Cycle

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to examine the association of age (young, midlife, and older) and activity level (active and sedentary), determined by a pedometer, with risk factors of chronic disease, including body composition, dietary intake, serum lipids, insulin, leptin, C-reactive protein (CRP), plasma glucose, and resting metabolic rate (RMR) in women across the adult life cycle. Methods Young (aged 20 to 30 years) (n=49), midlife (aged 40 to 50 years) (n=62), and older (aged 60 years and older) (n=47) women were recruited for this cross-sectional study. For 7 days, participants completed weighed food records and wore a pedometer. Based on the average number of steps per day, the women were further classified as active (≥7,500 steps per day) or sedentary (