Research

Mixed

Genetically predicted accelerometer-assessed physical activity causally decreases the risk of COVID-19 hospitalization.

Prioritize physical activity measured by devices (accelerometers) over self-reported estimates, as it is causally linked to reduced COVID-19 hospitalization risk. While the effect size is modest, combining this with reduced leisure sedentary time (like TV watching) may offer better protection.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Genetically predicted accelerometer-assessed PA decreased the risk for COVID-19 hospitalization (OR = 0.93, 95% CI 0.88–0.97; P = 0.002).
Xiong Chen et al. · Journal of Translational Medicine · 2022

Why this rating

Uses large-scale Mendelian Randomization (N > 400k for exposure, N > 2.5M for outcome) which mitigates confounding, though it relies on genetic proxies rather than direct observation.

Source

Causal relationship between physical activity, leisure sedentary behaviors and COVID-19 risk: a Mendelian randomization study

Xiong Chen et al. · Journal of Translational Medicine · 2022

DOI 10.1186/s12967-022-03407-6

cohort · n=3008909Cited 252×
Read the paper
DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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