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Does cardiorespiratory fitness mediate or moderate the association between mid-life physical activity frequency and
Tom Norris1, John J Mitchell1, Joanna M Blodgett1
1Faculty of Medical Sciences, Institute of Sport, Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, Exercise and Health, UCL, London, United Kingdom.
Background:
Physical activity (PA) is associated with a lower risk of cognitive decline and all-cause dementia in later life. Pathways underpinning this association are unclear but may involve either mediation and/or moderation by cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF).
Methods:
Data on PA frequency (exposure) at 42y, non-exercise testing CRF (NETCRF, mediator/moderator) at 45y and overall cognitive function (outcome) at 50y were obtained from 9,385 participants (50.8% female) in the 1958 British birth cohort study. We used a four-way decomposition approach to examine the relative contributions of mediation and moderation by NETCRF on the association between PA frequency at 42y and overall cognitive function at 50y.
Results:
In males, the estimated overall effect of 42y PA ≥once per week (vs.
Conclusion:
We present the first evidence from a four-way decomposition analysis of the potential contribution that CRF plays in the relationship between mid-life PA frequency and subsequent cognitive function. Our lack of evidence in support of CRF mediating or moderating the PA frequency-cognitive function association suggests that other pathways underpin this association.
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