Open AccessObjectively measured physical activity profile and cognition in Finnish elderly twins
Author(s) -
IsoMarkku Paula,
Waller Katja,
Vuoksimaa Eero,
VähäYpyä Henri,
Lindgren Noora,
Heikkilä Kauko,
Sievänen Harri,
Rinne Juha,
Kaprio Jaakko,
Kujala Urho M.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
alzheimer's and dementia: translational research and clinical interventions
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.49
H-Index - 30
ISSN - 2352-8737
DOI - 10.1016/j.trci.2018.06.007
Subject(s) - confidence interval , cognition , twin study , physical activity , waist , body mass index , demography , cohort , psychology , sedentary behavior , gerontology , medicine , physical therapy , heritability , neuroscience , sociology , biology , genetics
We studied whether objectively measured physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) are associated with cognition in Finnish elderly twins. Methods This cross‐sectional study comprised twins born in Finland from 1940 to 1944 in the Older Finnish Twin Cohort (mean age, 72.9 years; 726 persons). From 2014 to 2016, cognition was assessed with a validated telephonic interview, whereas PA was measured with a waist‐worn accelerometer. Results In between‐family models, SB and light physical activity had significant linear associations with cognition after adjusting for age, sex, wearing time, education level, body mass index, and living condition (SB: β‐estimate, −0.21 [95% confidence intervals, −0.42 to −0.003]; light physical activity: β‐estimate, 0.30 [95% confidence intervals, 0.02–0.58]). In within‐family models, there were no significant linear associations between objectively measured PA and cognition. Discussion Objectively measured light physical activity and SB are associated with cognition in Finnish twins in their seventies, but the associations were attributable to genetic and environmental selection.