Objective Analysis of Movement Behaviours and Cardiometabolic Health in Sub-Saharan Africans Living in the UK: A Cross Sectional Study

Damilola Akolawole Ibirogba; Luis Alfredo Sanchez Andalco; Matteo Crotti; Sarah J Charman; Amy Fuller; Titilope Ajepe; Michael Duncan; Alasdair P Blain; Faatihah Niyi-Odumosu; Peter W.  Mwangi; Federick O Bukachi; Olufumilola L.  Dominic; Otto F. Barak; Djordje Jakovljevic; Nduka Okwose

doi:10.1002/hsr2.72618Digital

Objective Analysis of Movement Behaviours and Cardiometabolic Health in Sub-Saharan Africans Living in the UK: A Cross Sectional Study

Damilola Akolawole Ibirogba
, Luis Alfredo Sanchez Andalco
, Matteo Crotti
, Sarah J Charman
, Amy Fuller
, Titilope Ajepe
, Michael Duncan
, Alasdair P Blain
, Faatihah Niyi-Odumosu
, Peter W. Mwangi
, Federick O Bukachi
, Olufumilola L. Dominic
, Otto F. Barak
, Djordje Jakovljevic
, Nduka Okwose

University of Bergamo
Newcastle University
University of the West of England
University of Nairobi
University of Ilorin
University of Novi Sad

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

ABSTRACT
Background and Aims
Movement behaviours, including sedentary behaviour (SB), physical activity (PA), and sleep, play a crucial role in cardiometabolic health. This study evaluated their relationships and assessed the effects of reallocating SB to different PA intensities.

Methods
This cross-sectional study conducted between March 2024 and March 2025, included 75 individuals from Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) (51% female; mean age: 40 ± 10 years). Time (minutes/day) spent in the different movement behaviours was determined using wrist-worn accelerometers (GENEActiv, UK). Cardiometabolic outcomes included body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), HDL cholesterol, total: HDL cholesterol ratio, random glucose, and cardiorespiratory fitness. Pairwise correlations and compositional analyses were performed to investigate associations between movement behaviours and cardiometabolic outcomes.

Results
The median daily movement composition (minutes) was sleep (346), SB (672), LPA (112), and MVPA (96). MVPA showed a moderate inverse relationship with total cholesterol and was the only movement category associated with cardiorespiratory fitness. Sleep duration showed an inverse relationship with BMI and WC. Reallocating 30 min of SB to sleep, LPA, or MVPA did not result in significant changes in cardiometabolic outcomes (p > 0.05 for all comparisons).

Conclusion
Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity showed the most consistent associations with favourable cardiometabolic markers, suggesting it may play a particularly important role in cardiometabolic health among this population. However, these benefits may be dependent on prolonged exposures. Sleep regulation may also contribute to the management of adiposity.

Original language	English
Article number	e72618
Number of pages	9
Journal	Health Science Reports
Volume	9
Issue number	6
Early online date	12 Jun 2026
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.72618Digital
Publication status	Published - Jun 2026

Bibliographical note

This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, providedthe original work is properly cited.

Funding

The authors would like to thank participants for their time in undertaking the present study. The authors acknowledge the use of Microsoft Copilot in editing this manuscript. The study was supported by the Coventry University Trailblazer award for the PhD studentship developed by Dr N. C. Okwose and awarded to DAI. The design of the study, data collection, analyses, interpretation of data, and drafting of the manuscript do not reflect the views and opinions of the funders.

Funders
Coventry University

Keywords

compositional analysis
isotemporal substitution
physical activity
sedentary
sleep

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10.1002/hsr2.72618DigitalLicence: CC BY

Ibirogba2026VoRFinal published version, 2.1 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

Ibirogba, D. A., Sanchez Andalco, L. A., Crotti, M., Charman, S. J., Fuller, A., Ajepe, T., Duncan, M., Blain, A. P., Niyi-Odumosu, F., Mwangi , P. W., Bukachi, F. O., Dominic, O. L., Barak, O. F., Jakovljevic, D., & Okwose, N. (2026). Objective Analysis of Movement Behaviours and Cardiometabolic Health in Sub-Saharan Africans Living in the UK: A Cross Sectional Study. Health Science Reports, 9(6), Article e72618. https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.72618Digital

Ibirogba, DA , Sanchez Andalco, LA, Crotti, M, Charman, SJ, Fuller, A, Ajepe, T, Duncan, M, Blain, AP, Niyi-Odumosu, F, Mwangi , PW, Bukachi, FO, Dominic, OL, Barak, OF, Jakovljevic, D & Okwose, N 2026, 'Objective Analysis of Movement Behaviours and Cardiometabolic Health in Sub-Saharan Africans Living in the UK: A Cross Sectional Study', Health Science Reports, vol. 9, no. 6, e72618. https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.72618Digital

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abstract = "ABSTRACT Background and Aims Movement behaviours, including sedentary behaviour (SB), physical activity (PA), and sleep, play a crucial role in cardiometabolic health. This study evaluated their relationships and assessed the effects of reallocating SB to different PA intensities. Methods This cross-sectional study conducted between March 2024 and March 2025, included 75 individuals from Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) (51\% female; mean age: 40 ± 10 years). Time (minutes/day) spent in the different movement behaviours was determined using wrist-worn accelerometers (GENEActiv, UK). Cardiometabolic outcomes included body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), HDL cholesterol, total: HDL cholesterol ratio, random glucose, and cardiorespiratory fitness. Pairwise correlations and compositional analyses were performed to investigate associations between movement behaviours and cardiometabolic outcomes. Results The median daily movement composition (minutes) was sleep (346), SB (672), LPA (112), and MVPA (96). MVPA showed a moderate inverse relationship with total cholesterol and was the only movement category associated with cardiorespiratory fitness. Sleep duration showed an inverse relationship with BMI and WC. Reallocating 30 min of SB to sleep, LPA, or MVPA did not result in significant changes in cardiometabolic outcomes (p > 0.05 for all comparisons). Conclusion Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity showed the most consistent associations with favourable cardiometabolic markers, suggesting it may play a particularly important role in cardiometabolic health among this population. However, these benefits may be dependent on prolonged exposures. Sleep regulation may also contribute to the management of adiposity.",

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author = "Ibirogba, \{Damilola Akolawole\} and \{Sanchez Andalco\}, \{Luis Alfredo\} and Matteo Crotti and Charman, \{Sarah J\} and Amy Fuller and Titilope Ajepe and Michael Duncan and Blain, \{Alasdair P\} and Faatihah Niyi-Odumosu and Mwangi, \{Peter W.\} and Bukachi, \{Federick O\} and Dominic, \{Olufumilola L.\} and Barak, \{Otto F.\} and Djordje Jakovljevic and Nduka Okwose",

note = "This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, providedthe original work is properly cited.",

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T1 - Objective Analysis of Movement Behaviours and Cardiometabolic Health in Sub-Saharan Africans Living in the UK

T2 - A Cross Sectional Study

AU - Ibirogba, Damilola Akolawole

AU - Sanchez Andalco, Luis Alfredo

AU - Crotti, Matteo

AU - Charman, Sarah J

AU - Fuller, Amy

AU - Ajepe, Titilope

AU - Duncan, Michael

AU - Blain, Alasdair P

AU - Niyi-Odumosu, Faatihah

AU - Mwangi , Peter W.

AU - Bukachi, Federick O

AU - Dominic, Olufumilola L.

AU - Barak, Otto F.

AU - Jakovljevic, Djordje

AU - Okwose, Nduka

N1 - This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, providedthe original work is properly cited.

PY - 2026/6

Y1 - 2026/6

N2 - ABSTRACT Background and Aims Movement behaviours, including sedentary behaviour (SB), physical activity (PA), and sleep, play a crucial role in cardiometabolic health. This study evaluated their relationships and assessed the effects of reallocating SB to different PA intensities. Methods This cross-sectional study conducted between March 2024 and March 2025, included 75 individuals from Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) (51% female; mean age: 40 ± 10 years). Time (minutes/day) spent in the different movement behaviours was determined using wrist-worn accelerometers (GENEActiv, UK). Cardiometabolic outcomes included body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), HDL cholesterol, total: HDL cholesterol ratio, random glucose, and cardiorespiratory fitness. Pairwise correlations and compositional analyses were performed to investigate associations between movement behaviours and cardiometabolic outcomes. Results The median daily movement composition (minutes) was sleep (346), SB (672), LPA (112), and MVPA (96). MVPA showed a moderate inverse relationship with total cholesterol and was the only movement category associated with cardiorespiratory fitness. Sleep duration showed an inverse relationship with BMI and WC. Reallocating 30 min of SB to sleep, LPA, or MVPA did not result in significant changes in cardiometabolic outcomes (p > 0.05 for all comparisons). Conclusion Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity showed the most consistent associations with favourable cardiometabolic markers, suggesting it may play a particularly important role in cardiometabolic health among this population. However, these benefits may be dependent on prolonged exposures. Sleep regulation may also contribute to the management of adiposity.

AB - ABSTRACT Background and Aims Movement behaviours, including sedentary behaviour (SB), physical activity (PA), and sleep, play a crucial role in cardiometabolic health. This study evaluated their relationships and assessed the effects of reallocating SB to different PA intensities. Methods This cross-sectional study conducted between March 2024 and March 2025, included 75 individuals from Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) (51% female; mean age: 40 ± 10 years). Time (minutes/day) spent in the different movement behaviours was determined using wrist-worn accelerometers (GENEActiv, UK). Cardiometabolic outcomes included body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), HDL cholesterol, total: HDL cholesterol ratio, random glucose, and cardiorespiratory fitness. Pairwise correlations and compositional analyses were performed to investigate associations between movement behaviours and cardiometabolic outcomes. Results The median daily movement composition (minutes) was sleep (346), SB (672), LPA (112), and MVPA (96). MVPA showed a moderate inverse relationship with total cholesterol and was the only movement category associated with cardiorespiratory fitness. Sleep duration showed an inverse relationship with BMI and WC. Reallocating 30 min of SB to sleep, LPA, or MVPA did not result in significant changes in cardiometabolic outcomes (p > 0.05 for all comparisons). Conclusion Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity showed the most consistent associations with favourable cardiometabolic markers, suggesting it may play a particularly important role in cardiometabolic health among this population. However, these benefits may be dependent on prolonged exposures. Sleep regulation may also contribute to the management of adiposity.

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KW - isotemporal substitution

KW - physical activity

KW - sedentary

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SN - 2398-8835

VL - 9

JO - Health Science Reports

JF - Health Science Reports

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M1 - e72618

ER -

Objective Analysis of Movement Behaviours and Cardiometabolic Health in Sub-Saharan Africans Living in the UK: A Cross Sectional Study

Abstract

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Keywords

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