Long and unsatisfactory sleep associated with poor lower limb composition and physical performance in older adults

Abstract Background Recently, poor sleep was closely related to physical function decline in older adults. To investigate the possible mediation pathway between them, the relationships among sleep status, lower limb composition, and physical performance were analyzed. Methods The cross-sectional stu...

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Main Authors: Ziyi Chen, Ju Cui, Fuyi Tu, Yiwen Han, Enyi Zhang, Yan Zhang, Tiemei Zhang, Jing Pang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-06-01
Series:BMC Geriatrics
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-025-06084-4
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author Ziyi Chen
Ju Cui
Fuyi Tu
Yiwen Han
Enyi Zhang
Yan Zhang
Tiemei Zhang
Jing Pang
author_facet Ziyi Chen
Ju Cui
Fuyi Tu
Yiwen Han
Enyi Zhang
Yan Zhang
Tiemei Zhang
Jing Pang
author_sort Ziyi Chen
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Recently, poor sleep was closely related to physical function decline in older adults. To investigate the possible mediation pathway between them, the relationships among sleep status, lower limb composition, and physical performance were analyzed. Methods The cross-sectional study included 323 adults (46% women) aged 60 years and above (mean age 71.7 years) from the community of China. Sleep duration and sleep satisfaction were collected by questionnaire. The composition of lower limbs was quantified by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Gait speed was measured as a physical performance indicator. The mediation role of low lean mass and high fat mass in the relationship between sleep status and physical performance was analyzed by bootstrap mediation analysis. Results The average sleep duration of participants was 6.8 h, about 43% participants were dissatisfied with their sleep. Compared with medium sleep duration, long sleep duration was associated with low lean mass (OR 2.630, 95% CI 1.390–5.013), high fat mass (OR 2.151, 95% CI 1.155–4.010), and slow gait speed (OR 3.143, 95% CI 1.700–5.880). Participants with long sleep duration and unsatisfactory sleep had the worst lower limb composition and physical performance among them. The mediation effect of lower limb composition on the relationship between long sleep and gait speed was significant, with 15.3% of the total effect being mediated by lean mass and 19.9% mediated by fat mass. Conclusions Long and unsatisfactory sleep had a great relationship with poor physical performance, and the change of lower limb composition was one of the mediate factors involved in this relationship. The combination of sleep duration and sleep satisfaction together was a good indicator for sleep assessment, which provide a new strategy for the intervention of physical function decline in older adults. Clinical trial number Not applicable.
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spelling doaj-art-e8e79d435ef24ce2b7536b082cc3e0ec2025-08-20T03:21:02ZengBMCBMC Geriatrics1471-23182025-06-012511910.1186/s12877-025-06084-4Long and unsatisfactory sleep associated with poor lower limb composition and physical performance in older adultsZiyi Chen0Ju Cui1Fuyi Tu2Yiwen Han3Enyi Zhang4Yan Zhang5Tiemei Zhang6Jing Pang7The Key Laboratory of Geriatrics, Beijing Institute of Geriatrics, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology of National Health CommissionThe Key Laboratory of Geriatrics, Beijing Institute of Geriatrics, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology of National Health CommissionSchool of Science, Chongqing University of Posts and TelecommunicationsThe Key Laboratory of Geriatrics, Beijing Institute of Geriatrics, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology of National Health CommissionThe Key Laboratory of Geriatrics, Beijing Institute of Geriatrics, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology of National Health CommissionThe Key Laboratory of Geriatrics, Beijing Institute of Geriatrics, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology of National Health CommissionThe Key Laboratory of Geriatrics, Beijing Institute of Geriatrics, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology of National Health CommissionThe Key Laboratory of Geriatrics, Beijing Institute of Geriatrics, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology of National Health CommissionAbstract Background Recently, poor sleep was closely related to physical function decline in older adults. To investigate the possible mediation pathway between them, the relationships among sleep status, lower limb composition, and physical performance were analyzed. Methods The cross-sectional study included 323 adults (46% women) aged 60 years and above (mean age 71.7 years) from the community of China. Sleep duration and sleep satisfaction were collected by questionnaire. The composition of lower limbs was quantified by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Gait speed was measured as a physical performance indicator. The mediation role of low lean mass and high fat mass in the relationship between sleep status and physical performance was analyzed by bootstrap mediation analysis. Results The average sleep duration of participants was 6.8 h, about 43% participants were dissatisfied with their sleep. Compared with medium sleep duration, long sleep duration was associated with low lean mass (OR 2.630, 95% CI 1.390–5.013), high fat mass (OR 2.151, 95% CI 1.155–4.010), and slow gait speed (OR 3.143, 95% CI 1.700–5.880). Participants with long sleep duration and unsatisfactory sleep had the worst lower limb composition and physical performance among them. The mediation effect of lower limb composition on the relationship between long sleep and gait speed was significant, with 15.3% of the total effect being mediated by lean mass and 19.9% mediated by fat mass. Conclusions Long and unsatisfactory sleep had a great relationship with poor physical performance, and the change of lower limb composition was one of the mediate factors involved in this relationship. The combination of sleep duration and sleep satisfaction together was a good indicator for sleep assessment, which provide a new strategy for the intervention of physical function decline in older adults. Clinical trial number Not applicable.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-025-06084-4Sleep durationSleep satisfactionLean massFat massGait speed
spellingShingle Ziyi Chen
Ju Cui
Fuyi Tu
Yiwen Han
Enyi Zhang
Yan Zhang
Tiemei Zhang
Jing Pang
Long and unsatisfactory sleep associated with poor lower limb composition and physical performance in older adults
BMC Geriatrics
Sleep duration
Sleep satisfaction
Lean mass
Fat mass
Gait speed
title Long and unsatisfactory sleep associated with poor lower limb composition and physical performance in older adults
title_full Long and unsatisfactory sleep associated with poor lower limb composition and physical performance in older adults
title_fullStr Long and unsatisfactory sleep associated with poor lower limb composition and physical performance in older adults
title_full_unstemmed Long and unsatisfactory sleep associated with poor lower limb composition and physical performance in older adults
title_short Long and unsatisfactory sleep associated with poor lower limb composition and physical performance in older adults
title_sort long and unsatisfactory sleep associated with poor lower limb composition and physical performance in older adults
topic Sleep duration
Sleep satisfaction
Lean mass
Fat mass
Gait speed
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-025-06084-4
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