Relationship between physical activity and cognitive functioning among older Indian adults.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Public Health

Background:

• Lifestyle factors like physical activity and diet significantly influence cognitive health in aging populations.
• Cultural and economic differences in low-resource settings may alter the relationship between physical activity and cognition.
• Understanding these associations is vital for promoting healthy cognitive aging globally.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between physical activity and cognitive functioning among older adults in India.
• To analyze potential gender differences in the physical activity-cognition relationship within this population.
• To control for confounding factors prevalent in low-resource settings.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (2017-2018).
• Employed propensity score matching (PSM) for robust analysis.
• Assessed cognitive impairment across five domains: memory, orientation, arithmetic, executive function, and object naming in adults aged 60+.

Main Results:

• Frequent physical activity was positively associated with greater cognitive functioning in older Indian adults.
• This association was consistent across both genders (men and women).
• Propensity score matching indicated significant cognitive score increases (0.98 points for men, 1.32 for women) with frequent physical activity.

Conclusions:

• Frequent physical activity demonstrates beneficial effects on cognitive functioning in older Indian adults.
• Regular physical activity is a viable lifestyle intervention for promoting cognitive health and healthy aging.
• Findings highlight the importance of physical activity in diverse, low-resource settings.