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Effects of Physical Activity Guidelines on Memory Issues in Cardiovascular Disease
Robin F Harris1, Sangwoo Ahn2, Jennifer L Smith1
1College of Nursing, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee.
Purpose:
To examine the association between adherence to physical activity (PA) guidelines and memory issues among older adults with or at risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Method:
Data from the 2022 National Health Interview Survey for adults aged ≥50 years who self-reported CVD or risk factors (N = 13,432) were analyzed using logistic regression.
Results:
Approximately 25% reported some difficulty remembering or concentrating, whereas the majority (89.1%) had some level of increased CVD risk. One half (51%) of the sample did not meet current PA guidelines. After controlling for age, sex, race, ethnicity, and U.S. region, those with a poor or fair health status (p < .001), increased CVD risk (p = .002), or who did not meet current PA guidelines (p < .001) were more likely to report memory issues.
Conclusion:
Further research is warranted into the role of PA in memory issues, particularly for those at risk for CVD.
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