A1 Journal article (refereed)
Physical activity may not be associated with long‐term risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (2021)
Kunutsor, S. K., Laukkanen, J. A., Kauhanen, J., & Willeit, P. (2021). Physical activity may not be associated with long‐term risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. European Journal of Clinical Investigation, 51(3), Article e13415. https://doi.org/10.1111/eci.13415
JYU authors or editors
Publication details
All authors or editors: Kunutsor, Setor K.; Laukkanen, Jari A.; Kauhanen, Jussi; Willeit, Peter
Journal or series: European Journal of Clinical Investigation
ISSN: 0014-2972
eISSN: 1365-2362
Publication year: 2021
Publication date: 29/09/2020
Volume: 51
Issue number: 3
Article number: e13415
Publisher: Wiley
Publication country: United Kingdom
Publication language: English
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/eci.13415
Publication open access: Openly available
Publication channel open access: Partially open access channel
Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/71974
Abstract
While it is well established that physical activity is associated with reduced risk of vascular and non‐vascular outcomes as well as mortality, evidence on the association between physical activity and dementia is inconsistent. We aimed to assess the associations of physical activity with the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
Material and methods
We analysed data on 2,394 apparently healthy men with good baseline cognitive function from the prospective population‐based Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease study. We assessed habits of physical activity at baseline using a 12‐month leisure‐time physical activity (LTPA) questionnaire. Using Cox regression, we calculated hazard ratios adjusted for body‐mass index, systolic blood pressure, smoking status, history of type‐2 diabetes, total cholesterol, high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, alcohol consumption, history of coronary heart disease, and high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein.
Results
During a median follow‐up of 24.9 years (interquartile range: 18.3‐26.9), 208 men developed dementia and 128 developed AD. Multivariable adjusted hazard ratios for dementia comparing top vs. bottom tertiles of physical activity were 0.97 (95% confidence intervals: 0.69‐1.38) for total physical activity volume, 0.96 (0.69‐1.34) for conditioning LTPA volume, and 1.13 (0.80‐1.61) for total LTPA volume. Corresponding hazard ratios for AD were 1.19 (0.76‐1.85), 0.98 (0.64‐1.49), and 1.22 (0.77‐1.93). Associations were consistent in analyses restricted to participants with ≥10 years of follow‐up.
Conclusions
In middle‐aged Caucasian men, various physical activity exposures were not associated with all‐cause dementia or AD. Future studies should address biases due to reverse causation and regression dilution and should involve objective measures of physical activity.
Keywords: physical activity; dementia; Alzheimer's disease; risk factors; cohort study
Free keywords: physical activity; dementia; Alzheimer’s disease; cohort study; risk factor
Contributing organizations
Ministry reporting: Yes
Reporting Year: 2021
JUFO rating: 1