Cognitive activity in a sitting position is protectively associated with cognitive impairment among older adults

AIM: Previous studies have obtained inconsistent results regarding the association between sedentary behavior and cognitive impairment. The present study aimed to examine the association between cognitive activity in a sitting position (CAS) and cognitive impairment among older adults. METHODS: Community‐dwelling older adults, from Obu or Nagoya in Japan, participated in a survey in 2013. A total of 5300 participants (mean age 75.0 ± 5.1 years; women 52.9%) met the criteria for the present study. We assessed the frequency and variety of CAS composed of six activities, including reading books or newspapers, writing a diary or letters, solving crossword puzzles, playing board games, using a computer and maintaining housekeeping records. The frequency of engagement in CAS was one or more time(s)/week. The variety of CAS was assessed by the number of engagements in CAS. Cognitive impairment was defined by two or more tests at least 1.5 standard deviations below the reference threshold in four neuropsychological tests. Logistic regression analysis was carried out to examine the associations between the frequency and variety of CAS and cognitive impairment, adjusted for covariates. RESULTS: The proportion of participants engaging in each CAS varied from 12.3% (playing board games) to 93.6% (reading books or newspaper). After adjustment, five CAS were significantly associated with cognitive impairment (OR 0.33–0.65, all P < 0.001). The variety of CAS was significantly associated with the reduced OR of cognitive impairment (OR 0.61, 95% confidence interval 0.55–0.68). CONCLUSIONS: Almost every CAS and a greater variety of CAS are associated with cognitive impairment among older people. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 98–102.