Abstract
The aims of this cross-sectional study were (i) to determine the association of educational level attained with cognitive impairment and (ii) to investigate the mediating effect of different self-report physical activity (PA) patterns in a large sample of older Chileans. A sample of 1571 older adults from the National Chilean Survey (2016–2017) was included. The educational level attained, PA levels, mode of commuting, sedentary time, and leisure-time PA were self-reported through validated questionnaires. Cognitive impairment was determined by Mini-Mental State Examination (modified version). Association between educational level attained and cognitive impairment was examined using logistic regression models. Counterfactual mediation models were used to test the mediating effect of self-reported PA patterns. A lower educational level was consistently associated with higher odds of cognitive impairment (OR range 2.846 to 2.266, all p < 0.001), while leisure-time PA was the only PA pattern that partially mediated this association (proportion mediated 8.0%). In conclusion, leisure-time PA was the solely PA pattern that partially mediated the association between the educational level and cognitive impairment. The rest self-reported PA patterns did not modify this association.
Highlights
10 million new cases of dementia are diagnosed every year, with an expectation of a three-fold increase by 2050 [1,2]
The final sample was divided into adults with cognitive impairment
The main findings of the present study supported the association between the attained educational level and cognitive impairment
Summary
10 million new cases of dementia are diagnosed every year, with an expectation of a three-fold increase by 2050 [1,2]. Dementia and some grades of cognitive impairment have several consequences, such as increasing disability and reduced quality of life, for both patients and caregivers. Dementia significantly interferes with the maintenance of daily living activities, being one of the principal causes of dependence among older adults [1]. The prevention of neurocognitive disorders such as dementia or cognitive impairment is a public health priority worldwide [1,3]. Nowadays it is vital to give more emphasis on several modifiable risk factors, such as education attainments and physical activity (PA), among others [2]. Education is an important social factor that leads to human development and economic growth [4]
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