Combinations of light, moderate, and vigorous physical activity in midlife and old age: implications for healthy cognitive aging

Abstract

Background: Although the relationship between physical activity (PA) and healthy cognitive aging is well-established, little is known about how different combinations of PA across intensities and life domains may uniquely buffer against declines in cognitive health.

Purpose: This study examined the role of modifiable profiles of light, moderate, and vigorous PA that may operate in tandem across domains to protect cognition in midlife and old age.

Methods: Using prospective 9-year data from the Midlife in the United States Study (n = 2688; Mage = 55 ± 11 years), we employed factor mixture models to identify baseline profiles (combinations) of light, moderate, and vigorous PA in the domains of work, home, and leisure. We subsequently examined profile differences in 9-year trajectories of cognitive aging across 2-waves of data using autoregressive analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs).

Results: Factor mixture model results showed that 5 common profiles emerged: low PA, low work PA, average PA, balanced PA, and high PA. Autoregressive ANCOVAs showed the balanced PA profile, which paired very high levels of light PA with relatively average levels of moderate and vigorous PA, experienced less decline in executive functioning than the low PA (P = .038) and low work PA profiles (P = .001). Contextualized effect sizes suggested that rates of 9-year decline in executive functioning for the balanced PA profile were reduced by more than 25% relative to the low PA and low work PA profiles.

Conclusions: Findings suggest that balanced PA across life domains, with an emphasis on maintaining light PA, may help slow age-related cognitive declines in midlife and old age.

Keywords: healthy cognitive aging; longitudinal; modifiable health behavior; person-centered approach; physical activity profiles.