Pub Date : 2026-03-06DOI: 10.1186/s11556-026-00406-0
Zhu Liduzi Jiesisibieke, C Mary Schooling
Objectives: Observational studies have consistently shown physical activity associated with lower mortality. Randomized controlled trials to confirm the value of physical activity for lifespan in the general population are challenging to conduct. To address this gap, we conducted a Mendelian Randomization (MR) study, using the largest available suitable studies and control outcomes.
Method: We conducted a two-sample MR study using summary statistics in European populations. We used single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) strongly (p < 5 × 10- 8), and independently (r2 < 0.001) predicting leisure-time moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity (N = 608,595) and SNPs similarly predicting inactivity (N = 526,725, leisure-time screen time) to obtain inverse variance weighted estimates. Lifespan was proxied by parental attained age (current age or age at death). We adjusted for education using multivariable MR. Waist circumference and whole-body fat mass were control outcomes. Sensitivity analyses included the weighted median, MR-Egger, MR-PRESSO and MRlap.
Results: Leisure-time moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity was associated with longer lifespan for men (1.41 years per doubling the odds of being physically active in leisure time, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.21 to 2.62) and women (1.68 years, 95% CI 0.12 to 3.25). Conversely, leisure-time screen time was associated with shorter lifespan, which was less evident after adjusting for education. As expected, leisure-time moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity reduced and screen time increased waist circumference and whole-body fat mass, which remained after adjusting for education.
Conclusions: Leisure-time moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity may extend lifespan, while the role of leisure-time screen time is less clear. Questions remain about the optimal type, duration, intensity, and frequency of physical activity.
{"title":"Assessing the causal impact of leisure-time physical activity and screen time on lifespan: a Mendelian randomization study.","authors":"Zhu Liduzi Jiesisibieke, C Mary Schooling","doi":"10.1186/s11556-026-00406-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s11556-026-00406-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Observational studies have consistently shown physical activity associated with lower mortality. Randomized controlled trials to confirm the value of physical activity for lifespan in the general population are challenging to conduct. To address this gap, we conducted a Mendelian Randomization (MR) study, using the largest available suitable studies and control outcomes.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>We conducted a two-sample MR study using summary statistics in European populations. We used single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) strongly (p < 5 × 10<sup>- 8</sup>), and independently (r<sup>2</sup> < 0.001) predicting leisure-time moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity (N = 608,595) and SNPs similarly predicting inactivity (N = 526,725, leisure-time screen time) to obtain inverse variance weighted estimates. Lifespan was proxied by parental attained age (current age or age at death). We adjusted for education using multivariable MR. Waist circumference and whole-body fat mass were control outcomes. Sensitivity analyses included the weighted median, MR-Egger, MR-PRESSO and MRlap.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Leisure-time moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity was associated with longer lifespan for men (1.41 years per doubling the odds of being physically active in leisure time, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.21 to 2.62) and women (1.68 years, 95% CI 0.12 to 3.25). Conversely, leisure-time screen time was associated with shorter lifespan, which was less evident after adjusting for education. As expected, leisure-time moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity reduced and screen time increased waist circumference and whole-body fat mass, which remained after adjusting for education.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Leisure-time moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity may extend lifespan, while the role of leisure-time screen time is less clear. Questions remain about the optimal type, duration, intensity, and frequency of physical activity.</p>","PeriodicalId":50477,"journal":{"name":"European Review of Aging and Physical Activity","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147370659","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-20DOI: 10.1186/s11556-025-00400-y
Weslley Barbosa Sales, Giane Amorim Ribeiro-Samora, Paulo Eduardo E Silva Barbosa, Edgar Ramos Vieira, Gérson Fonseca Souza, Álvaro Campos Cavalcanti Maciel
{"title":"Indirect estimates of cellular hydration and relative water content and their associations with muscle strength and physical function in older adults: a path analysis from the Pro-Eva study.","authors":"Weslley Barbosa Sales, Giane Amorim Ribeiro-Samora, Paulo Eduardo E Silva Barbosa, Edgar Ramos Vieira, Gérson Fonseca Souza, Álvaro Campos Cavalcanti Maciel","doi":"10.1186/s11556-025-00400-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s11556-025-00400-y","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":50477,"journal":{"name":"European Review of Aging and Physical Activity","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12961780/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146259999","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"High-speed resistance training vs. low-speed resistance training on body composition and physical function in adults with sarcopenic obesity.","authors":"Kuo-Jen Hsu, Sheng-Yun Huang, Yi-Hung Liao, Chiao-Nan Chen","doi":"10.1186/s11556-026-00405-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s11556-026-00405-1","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":50477,"journal":{"name":"European Review of Aging and Physical Activity","volume":" ","pages":"11"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12922256/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146133417","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-27DOI: 10.1186/s11556-026-00404-2
Yong Yang, Neng Pan, Yufei Liu, Weiqiang Xu, Zbigniew Ossowski
Background: Exercise is increasingly recognized as a non-pharmacological strategy for cognitive aging; however, comparative evidence across modalities, phenotypes, and doses is limited.
Methods: We conducted a Bayesian network meta-analysis of 38 randomized controlled trials (N = 4,047; 88 arms). The interventions included aerobic, resistance, multimodal, and other exercise formats compared with non-exercise controls. The primary outcome was global cognition. Analyses were stratified by age (< 70 vs. ≥70 years) and phenotype (healthy vs. pre-sarcopenic). Dose-response relationships were modeled using the weekly volume (MET·min/week).
Results: Aerobic (standardized mean difference [SMD] 0.58, 95% CI 0.33-0.83), resistance (0.62, 0.35-0.88), and multimodal programs (0.68, 0.40-0.95) significantly improved cognition compared to the control, with smaller effect sizes. Healthy older adults benefited most from aerobic (0.88, 0.55-1.20) and resistance training (0.80, 0.42-1.19), whereas multimodal programs were most effective for pre-sarcopenia (0.60, 0.29-0.90). Dose-response analysis showed clinically meaningful benefits from ~ 600 MET·min/week, with optimal effects between 700 and 1,200 MET·min/week. Higher volumes conferred no consistent additional gains in pre-sarcopenia.
Conclusions: Exercise is a scalable, safe, and clinically effective approach for preserving late-life cognition. For healthy older adults, aerobic or resistance training at ≥ 600 MET·min/week is recommended; for pre-sarcopenic individuals, multimodal programs at approximately 700-800 MET·min/week offer the best balance of efficacy and sustainability. These findings provide actionable targets for clinicians and policymakers, advancing precision exercise prescriptions for cognitive health in aging populations.
{"title":"Optimal type and dose of exercise to improve cognitive function in healthy and pre-sarcopenic older adults: a bayesian network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.","authors":"Yong Yang, Neng Pan, Yufei Liu, Weiqiang Xu, Zbigniew Ossowski","doi":"10.1186/s11556-026-00404-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s11556-026-00404-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Exercise is increasingly recognized as a non-pharmacological strategy for cognitive aging; however, comparative evidence across modalities, phenotypes, and doses is limited.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a Bayesian network meta-analysis of 38 randomized controlled trials (N = 4,047; 88 arms). The interventions included aerobic, resistance, multimodal, and other exercise formats compared with non-exercise controls. The primary outcome was global cognition. Analyses were stratified by age (< 70 vs. ≥70 years) and phenotype (healthy vs. pre-sarcopenic). Dose-response relationships were modeled using the weekly volume (MET·min/week).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Aerobic (standardized mean difference [SMD] 0.58, 95% CI 0.33-0.83), resistance (0.62, 0.35-0.88), and multimodal programs (0.68, 0.40-0.95) significantly improved cognition compared to the control, with smaller effect sizes. Healthy older adults benefited most from aerobic (0.88, 0.55-1.20) and resistance training (0.80, 0.42-1.19), whereas multimodal programs were most effective for pre-sarcopenia (0.60, 0.29-0.90). Dose-response analysis showed clinically meaningful benefits from ~ 600 MET·min/week, with optimal effects between 700 and 1,200 MET·min/week. Higher volumes conferred no consistent additional gains in pre-sarcopenia.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Exercise is a scalable, safe, and clinically effective approach for preserving late-life cognition. For healthy older adults, aerobic or resistance training at ≥ 600 MET·min/week is recommended; for pre-sarcopenic individuals, multimodal programs at approximately 700-800 MET·min/week offer the best balance of efficacy and sustainability. These findings provide actionable targets for clinicians and policymakers, advancing precision exercise prescriptions for cognitive health in aging populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":50477,"journal":{"name":"European Review of Aging and Physical Activity","volume":" ","pages":"9"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12918418/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146068410","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-26DOI: 10.1186/s11556-026-00403-3
Deniz Aminirakan, Dagmar Linnhoff, Bettina Wollesen
{"title":"Effects of different training characteristics in combined resistance and cognitive training on motor and cognitive performance in older adults: A systematic review.","authors":"Deniz Aminirakan, Dagmar Linnhoff, Bettina Wollesen","doi":"10.1186/s11556-026-00403-3","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s11556-026-00403-3","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":50477,"journal":{"name":"European Review of Aging and Physical Activity","volume":" ","pages":"4"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12849630/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146054665","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Relationship between body water distribution and sarcopenia in older adults: a systematic review.","authors":"Weslley Barbosa Sales, Laura Beatriz Alves Costa, Melissa Silva Rocha Pereira, Sabrina Gabrielle Gomes Fernandes Mâcedo, Edgar Ramos Vieira, Álvaro Campos Cavalcanti Maciel","doi":"10.1186/s11556-026-00402-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s11556-026-00402-4","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":50477,"journal":{"name":"European Review of Aging and Physical Activity","volume":" ","pages":"12"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12922294/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146031393","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-22DOI: 10.1186/s11556-026-00401-5
Sofi Sandström, Jennifer Frankel, Nina Lindelöf, Mattias Hedlund, Erik Frykholm, Helena Fridberg, Erik Rosendahl, Carl-Johan Boraxbekk, Marlene Sandlund
{"title":"High intensity interval training for older adults - from the laboratory towards a home setting: a co-creation study.","authors":"Sofi Sandström, Jennifer Frankel, Nina Lindelöf, Mattias Hedlund, Erik Frykholm, Helena Fridberg, Erik Rosendahl, Carl-Johan Boraxbekk, Marlene Sandlund","doi":"10.1186/s11556-026-00401-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s11556-026-00401-5","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":50477,"journal":{"name":"European Review of Aging and Physical Activity","volume":" ","pages":"10"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12918434/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146031479","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-21DOI: 10.1186/s11556-025-00399-2
Zhiyuan Tan, Yang Jiang, Darren G Candow, Carlo Castagna, Xiaolong Wang, Huakun Zheng
Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to address key gaps in understanding the role of resistance training (RT) as an intervention to mitigate age-related sarcopenia. Specifically, it examined: (i) effects on body composition and physical performance; (ii) moderating influences of age and training intensity; and (iii) the presence of a dose-response relationship within the FITT-VP framework.
Methods: A comprehensive search of multiple databases identified randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating RT in older adults with sarcopenia. Data on body composition, muscle strength (MS), and functional performance were extracted. Moderator analyses assessed the impact of participant and intervention characteristics, and meta-regression was performed to explore dose-response patterns.
Results: Twenty-five RCTs involving 1,302 participants were included. RT produced significant improvements in MS (ES = 0.71), lean mass (LM, [ES = 0.22]), fat mass (FM, [ES = - 0.17]), walking ability (WA, [ES = 0.41]), grip strength ([GS, [ES = 0.55]), muscle quality (MQ, [ES = 1.25]) (all p < 0.05), but this large effect size was based on only two studies and requires caution interpretation. Dose-response meta-regression revealed a significant non-linear relationship between total RT duration and functional gains, with optimal estimated cumulative volumes of ~ 2,716 min for WA.
Conclusion: RT is a robust, evidence-based strategy for enhancing MS, functional performance, and body composition in sarcopenic older adults. Findings suggest approximate cumulative duration ranges (~ 1,043 min for MS and ~ 2,716 min for WA) that were associated with maximal gains in pooled analyses. These values should be interpreted as exploratory indicators supporting individualized programming within the FITT-VP framework. Clinicians and exercise practitioners should tailor intensity (60-80% 1RM), frequency, and progression to optimize adherence, effectiveness, and long-term functional outcomes in sarcopenia management.
{"title":"Optimizing prescription of resistance training for body composition, muscle strength, and physical performance in older adults with sarcopenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.","authors":"Zhiyuan Tan, Yang Jiang, Darren G Candow, Carlo Castagna, Xiaolong Wang, Huakun Zheng","doi":"10.1186/s11556-025-00399-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s11556-025-00399-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to address key gaps in understanding the role of resistance training (RT) as an intervention to mitigate age-related sarcopenia. Specifically, it examined: (i) effects on body composition and physical performance; (ii) moderating influences of age and training intensity; and (iii) the presence of a dose-response relationship within the FITT-VP framework.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A comprehensive search of multiple databases identified randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating RT in older adults with sarcopenia. Data on body composition, muscle strength (MS), and functional performance were extracted. Moderator analyses assessed the impact of participant and intervention characteristics, and meta-regression was performed to explore dose-response patterns.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Twenty-five RCTs involving 1,302 participants were included. RT produced significant improvements in MS (ES = 0.71), lean mass (LM, [ES = 0.22]), fat mass (FM, [ES = - 0.17]), walking ability (WA, [ES = 0.41]), grip strength ([GS, [ES = 0.55]), muscle quality (MQ, [ES = 1.25]) (all p < 0.05), but this large effect size was based on only two studies and requires caution interpretation. Dose-response meta-regression revealed a significant non-linear relationship between total RT duration and functional gains, with optimal estimated cumulative volumes of ~ 2,716 min for WA.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>RT is a robust, evidence-based strategy for enhancing MS, functional performance, and body composition in sarcopenic older adults. Findings suggest approximate cumulative duration ranges (~ 1,043 min for MS and ~ 2,716 min for WA) that were associated with maximal gains in pooled analyses. These values should be interpreted as exploratory indicators supporting individualized programming within the FITT-VP framework. Clinicians and exercise practitioners should tailor intensity (60-80% 1RM), frequency, and progression to optimize adherence, effectiveness, and long-term functional outcomes in sarcopenia management.</p>","PeriodicalId":50477,"journal":{"name":"European Review of Aging and Physical Activity","volume":" ","pages":"8"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12908291/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146020644","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-12DOI: 10.1186/s11556-025-00396-5
Isabell Estorff, Benedict Ebert, Frieda L Fischer, Livia Ratzlaff, Petra Wagner, Daniel Schoene
{"title":"Efficacy of activity tracker-based interventions and their behavioral components in promoting physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior in older adults: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.","authors":"Isabell Estorff, Benedict Ebert, Frieda L Fischer, Livia Ratzlaff, Petra Wagner, Daniel Schoene","doi":"10.1186/s11556-025-00396-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s11556-025-00396-5","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":50477,"journal":{"name":"European Review of Aging and Physical Activity","volume":" ","pages":"5"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12853638/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145960513","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-12DOI: 10.1186/s11556-025-00397-4
Vera Zymbal, João P Magalhães, Fátima Baptista, Gil B Rosa, Eduardo B Cruz, Luís B Sardinha
Background: Traditional variable-centred approaches often analyse physical behaviours (sedentary behaviour [SB], light physical activity [LPA], and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity [MVPA]) in isolation, potentially masking their combined effects on outcomes. This study applied latent profile analysis, a person-centred approach, to identify naturally occurring physical behaviour profiles in older adults and examined their associations with physical fitness and physical function.
Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1,095 older Portuguese adults (≥ 65 years; 765 females). SB, LPA, and MVPA were assessed using accelerometry (Actigraph; Pensacola, Florida) on the right hip and expressed as percentages of waking time. Latent profile analysis was used to identify distinct profiles based on these percentages. Physical fitness was evaluated by Senior Fitness Test battery and handgrip strength. Physical function was assessed using the 12-item Composite Physical Function questionnaire. Generalised linear models, adjusted for age, were used to examine associations between profiles and outcomes.
Results: Three distinct profiles emerged for both sexes: "balanced movers" (~ 50% SB, ~ 46% LPA, ~ 4% MVPA), "intermediate movers" (~ 66% SB, ~ 32% LPA, ~ 2% MVPA), and "highly sedentary" (~ 80% SB, ~ 20% LPA, < 1% MVPA). Compared to the "highly sedentary" groups, both "balanced movers" and "intermediate movers" demonstrated better performance on most physical fitness tests and reported higher physical function. Notably, "intermediate movers", performed similarly to "balanced movers" in most measures.
Conclusions: Distinct physical behaviour profiles exist among older Portuguese adults. Profiles characterised by lower SB and higher LPA, even when not fully meeting MVPA recommendations ("intermediate movers"), were associated with better physical fitness and physical function compared to the "highly sedentary" profile. This underscores the importance of reducing SB and promoting LPA along with MVPA. By uncovering these behavioural profiles among older adults, latent profile analysis provides valuable insights to guide the development of more personalized interventions for healthy ageing.
{"title":"Physical behaviour profiles and their associations with fitness and function in older adults: a cross-sectional latent profile analysis.","authors":"Vera Zymbal, João P Magalhães, Fátima Baptista, Gil B Rosa, Eduardo B Cruz, Luís B Sardinha","doi":"10.1186/s11556-025-00397-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s11556-025-00397-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Traditional variable-centred approaches often analyse physical behaviours (sedentary behaviour [SB], light physical activity [LPA], and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity [MVPA]) in isolation, potentially masking their combined effects on outcomes. This study applied latent profile analysis, a person-centred approach, to identify naturally occurring physical behaviour profiles in older adults and examined their associations with physical fitness and physical function.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This cross-sectional study included 1,095 older Portuguese adults (≥ 65 years; 765 females). SB, LPA, and MVPA were assessed using accelerometry (Actigraph; Pensacola, Florida) on the right hip and expressed as percentages of waking time. Latent profile analysis was used to identify distinct profiles based on these percentages. Physical fitness was evaluated by Senior Fitness Test battery and handgrip strength. Physical function was assessed using the 12-item Composite Physical Function questionnaire. Generalised linear models, adjusted for age, were used to examine associations between profiles and outcomes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Three distinct profiles emerged for both sexes: \"balanced movers\" (~ 50% SB, ~ 46% LPA, ~ 4% MVPA), \"intermediate movers\" (~ 66% SB, ~ 32% LPA, ~ 2% MVPA), and \"highly sedentary\" (~ 80% SB, ~ 20% LPA, < 1% MVPA). Compared to the \"highly sedentary\" groups, both \"balanced movers\" and \"intermediate movers\" demonstrated better performance on most physical fitness tests and reported higher physical function. Notably, \"intermediate movers\", performed similarly to \"balanced movers\" in most measures.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Distinct physical behaviour profiles exist among older Portuguese adults. Profiles characterised by lower SB and higher LPA, even when not fully meeting MVPA recommendations (\"intermediate movers\"), were associated with better physical fitness and physical function compared to the \"highly sedentary\" profile. This underscores the importance of reducing SB and promoting LPA along with MVPA. By uncovering these behavioural profiles among older adults, latent profile analysis provides valuable insights to guide the development of more personalized interventions for healthy ageing.</p>","PeriodicalId":50477,"journal":{"name":"European Review of Aging and Physical Activity","volume":" ","pages":"7"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12888268/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145960550","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}