Body mass index has consistent effects on the magnitude of gait variability while its effect on the temporal structure of gait variability is age-dependent.

Narges Shakerian, Seung Kyeom Kim, Tyler M Wiles, Nick Stergiou, Aaron D Likens

Abstract read

In one paragraph

Article in European journal of applied physiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it

0cells of the map it votes in

0citing papers in PubMed

–field-weighted citation impact

1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Narges ShakerianDivision of Biomechanics and Research Development, Department of Biomechanics and Center for Research in Human Movement Variability, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Biomechanics Research Building, 6160 University Drive South, BRB 201, Omaha, NE, 68182, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2433-0525

Seung Kyeom KimDivision of Biomechanics and Research Development, Department of Biomechanics and Center for Research in Human Movement Variability, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Biomechanics Research Building, 6160 University Drive South, BRB 201, Omaha, NE, 68182, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5059-6867

Tyler M WilesDivision of Biomechanics and Research Development, Department of Biomechanics and Center for Research in Human Movement Variability, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Biomechanics Research Building, 6160 University Drive South, BRB 201, Omaha, NE, 68182, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9915-6950

Nick StergiouDivision of Biomechanics and Research Development, Department of Biomechanics and Center for Research in Human Movement Variability, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Biomechanics Research Building, 6160 University Drive South, BRB 201, Omaha, NE, 68182, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6873-6346

Aaron D LikensDivision of Biomechanics and Research Development, Department of Biomechanics and Center for Research in Human Movement Variability, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Biomechanics Research Building, 6160 University Drive South, BRB 201, Omaha, NE, 68182, USA. alikens@unomaha.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6535-5772

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeHigh body mass leads to changes in gait to accommodate the increased mechanical demands. Thus, previous research has examined how body mass affects gait variability (i.e., stride-to-stride fluctuations). However, these studies have been focused on the magnitude (extent of these fluctuations) of gait variability, while the effects of body mass on the temporal structure (how fluctuations are organized over time) remain unexplored. This study examined how body mass, quantified using body mass index (BMI), affects both magnitude and temporal structure of gait variability in young (24.66 ± 2.79 years), middle-aged (45.77 ± 5.85 years), and older adults (64.70 ± 7.65 years).

methodWe analyzed stride interval and stride length of 117 participants in NONAN GaitPrint dataset. Magnitude of gait variability was quantified using standard deviation (SD) and coefficient of variation (CoV). Temporal structure was assessed by Hurst exponent (H), which characterizes gait variability correlation over time. Linear mixed models examined the effects of BMI, age, and their interaction.

resultsHigher BMI significantly predicted greater magnitude of variability for both stride interval and stride length, independent of age. For the temporal structure, a significant interaction of BMI and age was observed for stride length H; higher BMI significantly predicted lower H in older adults (left: β = -0.293, p = 0.002; right: β = -0.231, p = 0.013) but not in young and middle-aged groups.

conclusionThese findings suggest BMI affects the temporal structure of gait variability is age-dependent, which may have implications for gait assessment in ageing populations.

Indexed as

AgingBody Mass IndexGaitAdultAgedAge FactorsBiomechanical PhenomenaFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedYoung AdultAgingBiomechanicsBody weightLocomotionWalking

Identifiers

PMID42313110

DOI10.1007/s00421-026-06307-5

PMCPMC13541998

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata

Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.