Abstract
BackgroundFew studies have explored the relations between naturally occurring changes in physical activity and cognitive performance in later life. This study examined prospective associations between changes in physical activity and cognitive performance in a population-based sample of Taiwanese older adults during an 11-year period.MethodsAnalyses were based on nationally representative data from the Taiwan Health and Living Status of the Elderly Survey collected in 1996, 1999, 2003, and 2007. Data from a fixed cohort of 1160 participants who were aged 67 years or older in 1996 and followed for 11 years were included. Cognitive performance (outcome) was assessed using 5 questions from the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire. Physical activity (exposure) was self-reported as number of sessions per week. The latent growth model was used to examine associations between changes in physical activity and cognitive performance after controlling for sociodemographic variables, lifestyle behaviors, and health status.ResultsWith multivariate adjustment, higher initial levels of physical activity were significantly associated with better initial cognitive performance (standardized coefficient β = 0.17). A higher level of physical activity at baseline (1996) was significantly related to slower decline in cognitive performance, as compared with a lower level of activity (β = 0.22). The association between changes in physical activity and changes in cognitive performance was stronger (β = 0.36) than the previous 2 associations. The effect remained after excluding participants with cognitive decline before baseline.ConclusionsPhysical activity in later life is associated with slower age-related cognitive decline.
Highlights
The rapid global trend of population aging is accompanied by the increasing prevalence of age-related disorders such as dementia.[1]
In East Asia, dementia incidence is projected to increase from 4.3 million new cases per year in 2005 to 19.7 million by 2050.2 Given the enormous impact of cognitive decline on individuals and their families,[3] it is crucial to identify factors associated with such decline to help address this growing public health problem
Accumulating evidence indicates that physical inactivity is a risk factor for age-related cognitive decline, and metaanalyses suggest that the risks of dementia[4] and cognitive decline[5] are reduced by late-life physical activity
Summary
The rapid global trend of population aging is accompanied by the increasing prevalence of age-related disorders such as dementia.[1] In East Asia, dementia incidence is projected to increase from 4.3 million new cases per year in 2005 to 19.7 million by 2050.2 Given the enormous impact of cognitive decline on individuals and their families,[3] it is crucial to identify factors associated with such decline to help address this growing public health problem. Studies of physical activity patterns in East Asia have consistently shown that, in contrast to similar populations in North America and Europe, leisure-time physical activity does not decrease with advancing age.[10,11] there has been little research on the relationship between physical activity and cognitive decline in these populations. The present study used LGM techniques to assess the relationship between changes in leisure-time physical activity and cognitive performance in an 11-year follow-up study of a nationally representative sample of Taiwanese older adults
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