The relationship between physical activity and cognition in older Latinos

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between minutes spent participating in light and moderate/vigorous-intensity physical activity (PA) and cognition in older Latinos, controlling for demographics, chronic health problems, and acculturation.

A cross-sectional study design was used. Participants were self-identified Latinos, without disability, who had a score less than 14 on a 21-point Mini-Mental State Examination. Participants were recruited from predominantly Latino communities in Chicago at health fairs, senior centers, and community centers. PA was measured with an accelerometer, worn for 7 days. Episodic memory and executive function (inference control, inattention, and word fluency) were measured with validated cognitive tests.

Participants were 174 Latino men (n = 46) and women (n = 128) aged 50-84 years (M = 66 years). After adjusting for control variables (demographics, chronic health problems) and other cognitive measures, regression analyses revealed that minutes per day of light-intensity PA (r = -.51), moderate/vigorous PA (r = -.56), and counts per minute (r=-.62) were negatively associated with lower word fluency.

Findings suggest that the cognitive benefits of both light-intensity PA and moderate/vigorous PA may be domain-specific.