Cross-sectional and longitudinal association between accelerometer-measured light-intensity physical activity and cognitive function in older adults
ObjectivesRegarding the methods of improving cognitive function in older adults, it is well-established that moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is beneficial. Considering the safety and mobility of older adults, recent research has focused on the benefits of light-intensity physical activ...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2025.1505172/full |
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| author | Jing-Han Jhan Jiaren Chen Ting-Fu Lai Ting-Fu Lai Jong-Hwan Park Jong-Hwan Park Jong-Hwan Park Yung Liao Yung Liao |
| author_facet | Jing-Han Jhan Jiaren Chen Ting-Fu Lai Ting-Fu Lai Jong-Hwan Park Jong-Hwan Park Jong-Hwan Park Yung Liao Yung Liao |
| author_sort | Jing-Han Jhan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ObjectivesRegarding the methods of improving cognitive function in older adults, it is well-established that moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is beneficial. Considering the safety and mobility of older adults, recent research has focused on the benefits of light-intensity physical activity (LPA) on cognitive function. However, limited research has utilized the different domains of cognitive examination scales [such as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)] to analyze the relationship between LPA and different domains of cognitive function and compare the cross-sectional and longitudinal results. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the cross-sectional and longitudinal association between LPA and both overall and domain-specific cognitive function in older Taiwanese adults.MethodsThis longitudinal study recruited participants in an outpatient department of geriatrics and gerontology in a medical center in Taipei City, Taiwan. Data was collected from September 2020 to 2021; the follow-up data were collected until December 2022. Participants were community-dwelling older adults aged ≥ 65 years who could walk independently. Baseline physical activity (any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure) and sedentary behavior (any waking behavior while in a sitting, reclining or lying posture with low energy expenditure) were measured with a GT3X+ triaxial accelerometer, categorized as sedentary behavior (< 100 counts/min), LPA (100–2,019 counts/min) and MVPA (≥ 2,020 counts/min). Cognitive functions were measured using the Chinese version of MMSE for the baseline and follow-up data. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between 3 h/day of LPA and cognitive functions. Baseline dependent variables were whether participants had overall cognitive impairment and whether scores of domain-specific MMSE were at the maximum level; in the follow-up analysis, the dependent variables were whether overall and domain-specific scores of MMSE maintained or increased (obtained by subtracting the baseline from the follow-up overall and individual domain MMSE scores).ResultsA total of 167 participants were included (52.10% female; 76.11 ± 6.47 years). The cross-sectional analysis results indicated that in the adjusted model (adjusted for age, sex, educational degree, wear time, MVPA time, and sedentary behavior time), both overall and domain-specific cognitive functions were not significantly associated with ≥ 3 h/day of LPA. The longitudinal analysis results indicated that in the adjusted model, ≥ 3 h/day of LPA was significantly negatively associated with the maintenance or increase of language [odds ratio (OR): 0.88; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.01–0.99; P = 0.049], and significantly positively associated with the maintenance or increase of orientation (OR: 3.83; 95% CI: 1.01–14.46; P = 0.048).ConclusionThe cross-sectional and longitudinal impacts of engaging in ≥ 3 h/day of LPA on cognitive functions differed. While engaging in ≥ 3 h/day of LPA has no significant short-term benefits, performing ≥ 3 h/day of LPA is beneficial for maintaining or improving orientation cognitive function in long term. Further studies should explore the longitudinal relationship between LPA and orientation cognitive function to provide a more comprehensive understanding of their potential interactions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ac9c34dd055b45d0881e359cb1faca4e |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1663-4365 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj-art-ac9c34dd055b45d0881e359cb1faca4e2025-08-20T02:52:52ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience1663-43652025-03-011710.3389/fnagi.2025.15051721505172Cross-sectional and longitudinal association between accelerometer-measured light-intensity physical activity and cognitive function in older adultsJing-Han Jhan0Jiaren Chen1Ting-Fu Lai2Ting-Fu Lai3Jong-Hwan Park4Jong-Hwan Park5Jong-Hwan Park6Yung Liao7Yung Liao8Graduate Institute of Sport, Leisure and Hospitality Management, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei City, TaiwanGraduate Institute of Sport, Leisure and Hospitality Management, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei City, TaiwanGraduate Institute of Sport, Leisure and Hospitality Management, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei City, TaiwanBiomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Convergence Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Clinical Bio-Convergence, Graduate School of Convergence in Biomedical Science, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Republic of KoreaConvergence Medical Institute of Technology, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Republic of KoreaGraduate Institute of Sport, Leisure and Hospitality Management, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei City, TaiwanFaculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, JapanObjectivesRegarding the methods of improving cognitive function in older adults, it is well-established that moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is beneficial. Considering the safety and mobility of older adults, recent research has focused on the benefits of light-intensity physical activity (LPA) on cognitive function. However, limited research has utilized the different domains of cognitive examination scales [such as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)] to analyze the relationship between LPA and different domains of cognitive function and compare the cross-sectional and longitudinal results. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the cross-sectional and longitudinal association between LPA and both overall and domain-specific cognitive function in older Taiwanese adults.MethodsThis longitudinal study recruited participants in an outpatient department of geriatrics and gerontology in a medical center in Taipei City, Taiwan. Data was collected from September 2020 to 2021; the follow-up data were collected until December 2022. Participants were community-dwelling older adults aged ≥ 65 years who could walk independently. Baseline physical activity (any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure) and sedentary behavior (any waking behavior while in a sitting, reclining or lying posture with low energy expenditure) were measured with a GT3X+ triaxial accelerometer, categorized as sedentary behavior (< 100 counts/min), LPA (100–2,019 counts/min) and MVPA (≥ 2,020 counts/min). Cognitive functions were measured using the Chinese version of MMSE for the baseline and follow-up data. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between 3 h/day of LPA and cognitive functions. Baseline dependent variables were whether participants had overall cognitive impairment and whether scores of domain-specific MMSE were at the maximum level; in the follow-up analysis, the dependent variables were whether overall and domain-specific scores of MMSE maintained or increased (obtained by subtracting the baseline from the follow-up overall and individual domain MMSE scores).ResultsA total of 167 participants were included (52.10% female; 76.11 ± 6.47 years). The cross-sectional analysis results indicated that in the adjusted model (adjusted for age, sex, educational degree, wear time, MVPA time, and sedentary behavior time), both overall and domain-specific cognitive functions were not significantly associated with ≥ 3 h/day of LPA. The longitudinal analysis results indicated that in the adjusted model, ≥ 3 h/day of LPA was significantly negatively associated with the maintenance or increase of language [odds ratio (OR): 0.88; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.01–0.99; P = 0.049], and significantly positively associated with the maintenance or increase of orientation (OR: 3.83; 95% CI: 1.01–14.46; P = 0.048).ConclusionThe cross-sectional and longitudinal impacts of engaging in ≥ 3 h/day of LPA on cognitive functions differed. While engaging in ≥ 3 h/day of LPA has no significant short-term benefits, performing ≥ 3 h/day of LPA is beneficial for maintaining or improving orientation cognitive function in long term. Further studies should explore the longitudinal relationship between LPA and orientation cognitive function to provide a more comprehensive understanding of their potential interactions.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2025.1505172/fulllight-intensity physical activityolder adultscognitive functionaccelerometerMMSE |
| spellingShingle | Jing-Han Jhan Jiaren Chen Ting-Fu Lai Ting-Fu Lai Jong-Hwan Park Jong-Hwan Park Jong-Hwan Park Yung Liao Yung Liao Cross-sectional and longitudinal association between accelerometer-measured light-intensity physical activity and cognitive function in older adults Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience light-intensity physical activity older adults cognitive function accelerometer MMSE |
| title | Cross-sectional and longitudinal association between accelerometer-measured light-intensity physical activity and cognitive function in older adults |
| title_full | Cross-sectional and longitudinal association between accelerometer-measured light-intensity physical activity and cognitive function in older adults |
| title_fullStr | Cross-sectional and longitudinal association between accelerometer-measured light-intensity physical activity and cognitive function in older adults |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cross-sectional and longitudinal association between accelerometer-measured light-intensity physical activity and cognitive function in older adults |
| title_short | Cross-sectional and longitudinal association between accelerometer-measured light-intensity physical activity and cognitive function in older adults |
| title_sort | cross sectional and longitudinal association between accelerometer measured light intensity physical activity and cognitive function in older adults |
| topic | light-intensity physical activity older adults cognitive function accelerometer MMSE |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2025.1505172/full |
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