Distribution of device-measured 24-hour movement behaviours across the cognitive spectrum in older adults: the HUNT study.
15 affiliations
- 1Norwegian National Centre for Ageing and Health, Sykehuset i Vestfold, Tønsberg, Norway. [email protected].
- 2Department of Geriatric Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. [email protected].
- 3Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, United States. [email protected].
- 4Department of Public Health and Nursing, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. [email protected].
- 5Motor Control and Learning Group - Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
- 6Department of Health, Ostschweizer Fachhochschule OST, Rapperswil, Switzerland.
- 7Department of Public Health and Nursing, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
- 8Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
- 9North London partnership trust NHS Foundation Trust, St Pancreas Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
- 10Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, United States.
- 11Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
- 12Norwegian National Centre for Ageing and Health, Sykehuset i Vestfold, Tønsberg, Norway.
- 13Department of Geriatric Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
- 14Department of Physical Health and Ageing, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
- 15Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
Abstract
Background
Key daily physical activities (e.g., standing and walking), postures (sitting and lying), and sleep constitute the 24-h day and have distinct health effects and functional implications. Traditionally studied separately, the distribution of these movement behaviours and sleep across the cognitive spectrum remains insufficiently characterised. We aimed to describe and compare the distribution of 24-h movement behaviours and sleep across the cognitive spectrum.Methods
We analysed cross-sectional, population-based data from 4,699 community-dwelling older adults (≥ 70 years) participating in the HUNT4 70 + study. Cognitive status was classified as mild cognitive impairment (MCI, n = 1,690) or dementia (n = 360) according to DSM-5 criteria. Participants not classified with MCI or dementia were categorised as cognitively unimpaired. Accelerometers worn on the thigh and lower back (≤ 7 days) were used to assess standing, walking, sitting, lying awake, and sleep using validated machine-learning models. Inverse probability weighting and multiple imputation by chained equations were used to address selection bias. Group differences were examined using survey-weighted regression models adjusted for potential confounders including age, sex, education, marital status, self-rated health, obesity, depression, alcohol consumption, and smoking.Results
In fully adjusted models, older adults with MCI spent less time sitting (ß -12.4 [95% CI -20.0, -4.4] min/ 24 h) and more time lying awake (ß 10.3 [95% CI 2.7, 17.9]) and sleeping (ß 3.9 [95% CI 0.8, 7.0] min/24 h) than their cognitively unimpaired peers (all p < 0.05), while time spent standing and walking was similar between the two groups. In fully adjusted models, older adults with dementia spent less time standing (ß -29.0 [95% CI -41.3, -16.5] and ß -30.3 [95% CI -42.5, -18.2] min/24 h) and walking (ß -16.1 [95% CI -19.9, -12.4] and ß -17.2 [95% CI -20.9, -13.4] min/24 h), and more time lying awake (ß 36.3 [95% CI 17.1, 55.4] and ß 46.5 [95% CI 28.7, 64.5] min/24 h), than those with MCI and cognitively unimpaired peers (all p ≤ 0.001), and more time sleeping (ß 7.5 [95% CI 0.9, 14.9] min/24 h) than their cognitively unimpaired peers (p = 0.04).Conclusion
Across the cognitive spectrum, older adults exhibit distinct distributions of 24-h movement behaviours and sleep. The clinical importance of the observed differences remains unknown, and future research on the independent and compositional effects of these behaviours is warranted.
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BibTeX
@article{sverdrup2026distribution,
title = {{Distribution of device-measured 24-hour movement behaviours across the cognitive spectrum in older adults: the HUNT study.}},
author = {Karen Sverdrup and Paul Jarle Mork and Eling D de Bruin and Linda Ernstsen and Gill Livingston and Kushang V Patel and Geir Selbæk and Bjørn Heine Strand and Beatrix Vereijken and Gro Gujord Tangen},
journal = {European review of aging and physical activity : official journal of the European Group for Research into Elderly and Physical Activity},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1186/s11556-026-00433-x},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/43009781},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Distribution of device-measured 24-hour movement behaviours across the cognitive spectrum in older adults: the HUNT study.
AU - Karen Sverdrup
AU - Paul Jarle Mork
AU - Eling D de Bruin
AU - Linda Ernstsen
AU - Gill Livingston
AU - Kushang V Patel
AU - Geir Selbæk
AU - Bjørn Heine Strand
AU - Beatrix Vereijken
AU - Gro Gujord Tangen
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/13
JO - European review of aging and physical activity : official journal of the European Group for Research into Elderly and Physical Activity
DO - 10.1186/s11556-026-00433-x
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/43009781
AB - Background Key daily physical activities (e.g., standing and walking), postures (sitting and lying), and sleep constitute the 24-h day and have distinct health effects and functional implications. Traditionally studied separately, the distribution of these movement behaviours and sleep across the cognitive spectrum remains insufficiently characterised. We aimed to describe and compare the distribution of 24-h movement behaviours and sleep across the cognitive spectrum.Methods We analysed cross-sectional, population-based data from 4,699 community-dwelling older adults (≥ 70 years) participating in the HUNT4 70 + study. Cognitive status was classified as mild cognitive impairment (MCI, n = 1,690) or dementia (n = 360) according to DSM-5 criteria. Participants not classified with MCI or dementia were categorised as cognitively unimpaired. Accelerometers worn on the thigh and lower back (≤ 7 days) were used to assess standing, walking, sitting, lying awake, and sleep using validated machine-learning models. Inverse probability weighting and multiple imputation by chained equations were used to address selection bias. Group differences were examined using survey-weighted regression models adjusted for potential confounders including age, sex, education, marital status, self-rated health, obesity, depression, alcohol consumption, and smoking.Results In fully adjusted models, older adults with MCI spent less time sitting (ß -12.4 [95% CI -20.0, -4.4] min/ 24 h) and more time lying awake (ß 10.3 [95% CI 2.7, 17.9]) and sleeping (ß 3.9 [95% CI 0.8, 7.0] min/24 h) than their cognitively unimpaired peers (all p < 0.05), while time spent standing and walking was similar between the two groups. In fully adjusted models, older adults with dementia spent less time standing (ß -29.0 [95% CI -41.3, -16.5] and ß -30.3 [95% CI -42.5, -18.2] min/24 h) and walking (ß -16.1 [95% CI -19.9, -12.4] and ß -17.2 [95% CI -20.9, -13.4] min/24 h), and more time lying awake (ß 36.3 [95% CI 17.1, 55.4] and ß 46.5 [95% CI 28.7, 64.5] min/24 h), than those with MCI and cognitively unimpaired peers (all p ≤ 0.001), and more time sleeping (ß 7.5 [95% CI 0.9, 14.9] min/24 h) than their cognitively unimpaired peers (p = 0.04).Conclusion Across the cognitive spectrum, older adults exhibit distinct distributions of 24-h movement behaviours and sleep. The clinical importance of the observed differences remains unknown, and future research on the independent and compositional effects of these behaviours is warranted.
SN - 1813-7253
SN - 1861-6909
ER -