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Sedentary behavior as a risk factor for cognitive decline? A focus on the influence of glycemic control in brain health
Wheeler MJ, Dempsey PC, Grace MS, Ellis KA, Gardiner PA, Green DJ, Dunstan DW.. Alzheimer's & dementia (New York, N. Y.), 2017-05-02
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Cognitive decline leading to dementia represents a global health burden. In the absence of targeted pharmacotherapy, lifestyle approaches remain the best option for slowing the onset of dementia. However, older adults spend very little time doing moderate to vigorous exercise and spend a majority of time in sedentary behavior. Sedentary behavior has been linked to poor glycemic control and increased risk of all-cause mortality. Here, we explore a potential link between sedentary behavior and brain health. We highlight the role of glycemic control in maintaining brain function and suggest that reducing and replacing sedentary behavior with intermittent light-intensity physical activity may protect against cognitive decline by reducing glycemic variability. Given that older adults find it difficult to achieve current exercise recommendations, this may be an additional practical strategy. However, more research is needed to understand the impact of poor glycemic control on brain function and whether practical interventions aimed at reducing and replacing sedentary behavior with intermittent light intensity physical activity can help slow cognitive decline.
Key findings
- Sedentary behavior has been linked to poor glycemic control and increased risk of all-cause mortality.
- We highlight the role of glycemic control in maintaining brain function and suggest that reducing and replacing sedentary behavior with intermittent light-intensity physical activity may protect against cognitive decline by reducing glycemic variability.
Why it matters
This paper suggests that reducing sedentary behavior and replacing it with intermittent light-intensity physical activity may protect against cognitive decline by reducing glycemic variability. It states that more research is needed to understand the impact of poor glycemic control on brain function and whether such practical interventions can help slow cognitive decline.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 51/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people 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 | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2017 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 183 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 16.6 citations a year over 11 year(s) since 2017 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 10.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 55 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author David W. Dunstan: h-index 114 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | The University of Queensland: institution h-index 1,516 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 9 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 29067335) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 51 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1016/j.trci.2017.04.001
- PubMed: 29067335
- 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 7 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
Wheeler, M. J., Dempsey, P. C., Grace, M. S., Ellis, K. A., Gardiner, P. A., Green, D. J., et al. (2017). Sedentary behavior as a risk factor for cognitive decline? A focus on the influence of glycemic control in brain health. Alzheimer's & dementia (New York, N. Y.). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trci.2017.04.001
Vancouver
Wheeler MJ, Dempsey PC, Grace MS, Ellis KA, Gardiner PA, Green DJ, et al. Sedentary behavior as a risk factor for cognitive decline? A focus on the influence of glycemic control in brain health. Alzheimer's & dementia (New York, N. Y.). 2017. doi:10.1016/j.trci.2017.04.001. PMID: 29067335.
BibTeX
@article{wheeler2017-29067335,
author = {Wheeler, M. J. and Dempsey, P. C. and Grace, M. S. and Ellis, K. A. and Gardiner, P. A. and Green, D. J. and Dunstan, D. W.},
title = {{Sedentary behavior as a risk factor for cognitive decline? A focus on the influence of glycemic control in brain health}},
journal = {Alzheimer's \& dementia (New York, N. Y.)},
year = {2017},
doi = {10.1016/j.trci.2017.04.001},
pmid = {29067335},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trci.2017.04.001}
}
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