The study used a longitudinal design and national Health and Retirement Study core data from 2012 to 2020 to examine how activity affects cognitive decline in older adults. Jungjoo "Jay" Lee led the research, which was published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health. The team compared different activity levels and durations across 21 activity types, including walking and sports, to assess how much movement may reduce further decline.
Researchers measured three cognitive domains: memory (recall of 10 words immediately and after five minutes), working memory (subtracting seven from 100 over five trials) and attention/processing speed (counting backward from 20 to 10 over two trials). The analytic sample had 9,714 participants (68.6% male, 31.4% female) with a median age of 78. The team used medical diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia and changes since 2012 to track decline; 8% had a diagnosis during the study.
The analysis showed that maintaining moderate levels of physical activity was linked to a significantly lower chance of developing dementia, while those with low activity saw little or no benefit. The authors also found that advancing age increased risk, whereas higher education and better baseline cognitive function were associated with lower risk; sex had no effect. The paper notes limitations and that it is not yet clear how all factors interact over longer periods or in different populations. Lee expressed optimism that the findings could guide new therapies and community programs and quoted: "One out of every nine adults 45 and older in the United States say they experience confusion or memory loss that is getting worse, and that shows no signs of improving." Coauthor Kangeun Lee of Indiana University was also involved.
Difficult words
- longitudinal — study that follows the same people over time
- cognitive — related to thinking, memory and mental processes
- dementia — progressive loss of memory and other mental abilities
- baseline — initial measurements taken before a study or treatment
- diagnosis — identification of a disease by a medical professional
- sample — group of people chosen for a research studyanalytic sample
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How could community programs use these findings to help older adults maintain cognitive health?
- What limitations mentioned in the paper might make it hard to apply these results to different populations?
- Based on the study comparing 21 activity types, which types or durations of activity would you recommend for older adults and why?
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