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Accelerometer-determined physical activity and cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults from two generations of the Framingham Heart Study
Spartano NL, Demissie S, Himali JJ, Dukes KA, Murabito JM, Vasan RS, Beiser AS, Seshadri S.. Alzheimer's & dementia (New York, N. Y.), 2019-10-15
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Introduction Physical activity (PA) may play a role in maintenance of cognitive function in both middle and older ages and prevention of outcomes such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Methods Cross-sectional regression analyses were performed in Framingham Heart Study Third Generation (n = 1861) and Offspring (n = 909) cohort participants assessing the association of accelerometry-measured PA with cognitive function, adjusting for age, sex, accelerometer wear time, education, occupational status/PA, and smoking status. Results In each cohort, achieving just 10-21.4 min/day moderate-to-vigorous PA related to better executive function ( P P = .02).
Key findings
- Methods Cross-sectional regression analyses were performed in Framingham Heart Study Third Generation (n = 1861) and Offspring (n = 909) cohort participants assessing the association of accelerometry-measured PA with cognitive function, adjusting for age, sex, accelerometer wear time, education, occupational status/PA, and smoking status.
- Results In each cohort, achieving just 10-21.4 min/day moderate-to-vigorous PA related to better executive function ( P P = .02).
- In older adults of the Offspring cohort, total PA (measured in steps/day) was associated with better executive function ( P < .02).
Why it matters
This cross-sectional study found that moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was associated with better executive function in middle-aged and older adults. It does not prove that physical activity prevents or treats Alzheimer's disease, only that an association was found.
Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Participants1,861
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 56/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Alzheimer's & dementia (New York, N. Y.)) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Alzheimer s & Dementia Translational Research & Clinical Interventions: journal h-index 84 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2019 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 3 / 4 | 1,861 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 57 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 6.3 citations a year over 9 year(s) since 2019 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 21 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Sudha S. Seshadri: h-index 148 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Boston University: institution h-index 1,456 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 31660424) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 56 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1016/j.trci.2019.08.007
- PubMed: 31660424
- Original source →
- Free full text: Alzheimer s & Dementia Translational Research & Clinical Interventions →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 8 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Spartano, N. L., Demissie, S., Himali, J. J., Dukes, K. A., Murabito, J. M., Vasan, R. S., et al. (2019). Accelerometer-determined physical activity and cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults from two generations of the Framingham Heart Study. Alzheimer's & dementia (New York, N. Y.). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trci.2019.08.007
Vancouver
Spartano NL, Demissie S, Himali JJ, Dukes KA, Murabito JM, Vasan RS, et al. Accelerometer-determined physical activity and cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults from two generations of the Framingham Heart Study. Alzheimer's & dementia (New York, N. Y.). 2019. doi:10.1016/j.trci.2019.08.007. PMID: 31660424.
BibTeX
@article{spartano2019-31660424,
author = {Spartano, N. L. and Demissie, S. and Himali, J. J. and Dukes, K. A. and Murabito, J. M. and Vasan, R. S. and Beiser, A. S. and Seshadri, S.},
title = {{Accelerometer-determined physical activity and cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults from two generations of the Framingham Heart Study}},
journal = {Alzheimer's \& dementia (New York, N. Y.)},
year = {2019},
doi = {10.1016/j.trci.2019.08.007},
pmid = {31660424},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trci.2019.08.007}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.