Physical Activity and Cognitive Function in the Elderly Population

Background: Old age is accompanied by impaired musculoskeletal and nervous system, which may result in low mobility and cognitive problems. Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the relationship between Physical Activity (PA) and Cognitive Function (CF) among the elderly population. Materials & Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted on 200 old people who were members of retirement clubs in Mashhad City, Iran in 2017. They were selected using purposeful sampling method. To collect data, International Physical Activity Questionnaires (IPAQ), and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) tools were employed. The Pearson correlation test and hierarchical regression analysis were used to determine the relationship and predictability of CF with PA, respectively after controlling intervening variable (age). Moreover, one-way Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) analysis was used to examine difference between CF scores in different PA levels. Results: There was a positive and significant relationship between PA and CF in the elderly (r=0.63, P<0.0001). After controlling the age factor, PA was able to explain 42% of CF variance (F2,197=72.17, P<0.0001). Moreover, ANCOVA results indicated that cognitive impairment was higher in the elderly with low PA (F2,197=54.40, P<0.0001). Conclusion: This study showed that lower PA was associated with higher cognitive impairment and older people with moderate and high PA had better CF than elderly with low PA. Therefore, suitable physical activity should be planned for the elderly to improve their ability in performing cognitive tasks.