Joint association of sedentary time and physical activity with abnormal heart rate recovery in young and middle-aged adults

Abstract Background Abnormal heart rate recovery (HRR), representing cardiac autonomic dysfunction, is an important predictor of cardiovascular disease. Prolonged sedentary time (ST) is associated with a slower HRR. However, it is not clear how much moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is required to mitigate the adverse effects of sedentary behavior on HRR in young and middle-aged adults. This study aimed to examine the joint association of ST and MVPA with abnormal HRR in this population. Methods A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 1253 participants (aged 20–50 years, 67.8% male) from an observational study assessing cardiopulmonary fitness in Fujian Province, China. HRR measured via cardiopulmonary exercise tests on a treadmill was calculated as the difference between heart rate at peak exercise and 2 min after exercise. When the HRR was ≤ 42 beats·minute−1 within this time, it was considered abnormal. ST and MVPA were assessed by the IPAQ-LF. Individuals were classified as having a low sedentary time (LST [