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The association between physical activity and dementia in an elderly population: the Rotterdam Study
de Bruijn RF, Schrijvers EM, de Groot KA, Witteman JC, Hofman A, Franco OH, Koudstaal PJ, Ikram MA.. European journal of epidemiology, 2013-02-06
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Several studies have associated physical activity with the risk of dementia, but mostly did so during short follow-up. It remains unclear whether physical activity also affects dementia during longer follow-up. We examined the association between physical activity and risk of dementia during a follow-up period up to 14 years.
Key findings
- It remains unclear whether physical activity also affects dementia during longer follow-up.
- We examined the association between physical activity and risk of dementia during a follow-up period up to 14 years.
- From 1997 to 1999, physical activity was assessed using a validated questionnaire in 4,406 elderly persons (age range 61-97) from the prospective, population-based Rotterdam Study.
- Follow-up for dementia was complete until January 1, 2011.
Why it matters
This study examined whether physical activity is associated with risk of dementia over up to 14 years of follow-up in an elderly population. It is observational and cannot prove that physical activity prevents dementia.
Study details
- Participants583
- Effect sizeHR 0.95; HR 0.82; HR 1.04
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 53/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (European journal of epidemiology) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | European Journal of Epidemiology: journal h-index 175 (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 | 1 / 5 | 2013 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 583 participants |
| Effect reported | 3 / 3 | Effect reported with a statistic (interval, p-value, ratio or similar) |
| 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 | 5 / 7 | Cited 140 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 9.3 citations a year over 15 year(s) since 2013 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 9.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 7 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 17 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author M. Arfan Ikram: h-index 167 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Erasmus MC: institution h-index 1,321 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 23385659) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 53 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
May need a subscription OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 6 Feb 1020), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
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
de Bruijn, R. F., Schrijvers, E. M., de Groot, K. A., Witteman, J. C., Hofman, A., Franco, O. H., et al. (2013). The association between physical activity and dementia in an elderly population: the Rotterdam Study. European journal of epidemiology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-013-9773-3
Vancouver
de Bruijn RF, Schrijvers EM, de Groot KA, Witteman JC, Hofman A, Franco OH, et al. The association between physical activity and dementia in an elderly population: the Rotterdam Study. European journal of epidemiology. 2013. doi:10.1007/s10654-013-9773-3. PMID: 23385659.
BibTeX
@article{debruijn2013-23385659,
author = {de Bruijn, R. F. and Schrijvers, E. M. and de Groot, K. A. and Witteman, J. C. and Hofman, A. and Franco, O. H. and Koudstaal, P. J. and Ikram, M. A.},
title = {{The association between physical activity and dementia in an elderly population: the Rotterdam Study}},
journal = {European journal of epidemiology},
year = {2013},
doi = {10.1007/s10654-013-9773-3},
pmid = {23385659},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-013-9773-3}
}
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