Relationship between cognitive performance and physical activity in community-dwelling older adults
Introduction: The aging process can result in the decline of cognitive function. Some factors may be beneficial for cognitive functioning in aging, such as physical activity. Objective: To analyze the relationship between physical activity and cognitive performance in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: Cross-sectional and quantitative study, carried out in 2018/2019, with 491 older adults (≥60 years), registered in Primary Healthcare Units in Três Lagoas-MS. The older adults were divided into two groups: physically active (>150 minutes of moderate physical activity or >75 minutes of vigorous activity/week - n=320) and inactive (n=171), according to the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was also applied. T and chi-square tests were used to analyze the relationship between variables. Results: The physically active group were mostly women (60.8%), with an average of 69.7±6.9 years of age and 4.2±3.5 years of schooling. In the inactive group, the majority were women (59.7%), with 71.4±8.2 years of age and 4.0±4.2 of schooling. The groups were similar in terms of sex and education, but the inactive group was older (p=0.029). The active older adults had a mean of 23.7±3.8 points in the MMSE, and the inactive group, 21.9±4.6, with a significant difference (p <0.000), ndicating that the active group had a better cognitive performance. Conclusion: There is a relationship between being physically active and having a better cognitive performance. Physical activity in old age is related to benefits in several areas and must be incorporated into public health promotion and disease prevention policies.