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Walking and dementia in physically capable elderly men
Abbott RD, White LR, Ross GW, Masaki KH, Curb JD, Petrovitch H.. JAMA, 2004-09-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Context Evidence suggests that physical activity may be related to the clinical expression of dementia. Whether the association includes low-intensity activity such as walking is not known. Objective To examine the association between walking and future risk of dementia in older men. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting and participants Distance walked per day was assessed from 1991 to 1993 in 2257 physically capable men aged 71 to 93 years in the Honolulu-Asia Aging Study. Follow-up for incident dementia was based on neurological assessment at 2 repeat examinations (1994-1996 and 1997-1999). Main outcome measures Overall dementia, Alzheimer disease, and vascular dementia. Results During the course of follow-up, 158 cases of dementia were identified (15.6/1000 person-years). After adjusting for age, men who walked the least ( 2 mile/d), an excess risk of dementia was also observed in those who walked 0.25 to 1 mile/d (17.6 vs 10.3/1000 person-years; RH, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.02-2.86). These associations persisted after accounting for other factors, including the possibility that limited amounts of walking could be the result of a decline in physical function due to preclinical dementia. Conclusions Findings suggest that walking is associated with a reduced risk of dementia. Promoting active lifestyles in physically capable men could help late-life cognitive function.
Key findings
- Context Evidence suggests that physical activity may be related to the clinical expression of dementia.
- Main outcome measures Overall dementia, Alzheimer disease, and vascular dementia.
- Results During the course of follow-up, 158 cases of dementia were identified (15.6/1000 person-years).
- These associations persisted after accounting for other factors, including the possibility that limited amounts of walking could be the result of a decline in physical function due to preclinical dementia.
- Conclusions Findings suggest that walking is associated with a reduced risk of dementia.
Why it matters
In 2,257 physically capable men aged 71 to 93 in the Honolulu-Asia Aging Study, those who walked less each day were more likely to develop dementia over the following years. For example, men walking 0.25 to 1 mile a day had dementia at 17.6 versus 10.3 cases per 1,000 person-years (hazard ratio 1.71). The authors say the link held after allowing for the chance that early, undiagnosed dementia was already making men walk less. This is an observational study of older men only: it shows walking is associated with lower dementia risk, not that walking prevents it.
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Study details
- Study designcohort study
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 62/100
Published in a top-tier journal, and it is a cohort study following people over time. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 10 / 10 | Tier 1 — top-tier general journal (JAMA) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | JAMA: journal h-index 1,011 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A cohort study following people over 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 | 1 / 5 | 2004 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| 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 | 6 / 7 | Cited 744 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 31.0 citations a year over 24 year(s) since 2004 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 18.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 4 / 6 | Cited by 42 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 36 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Robert D. Abbott: h-index 116 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Virginia: institution h-index 1,118 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 15383515) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 62 / 100 | — |
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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. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Abbott, R. D., White, L. R., Ross, G. W., Masaki, K. H., Curb, J. D., & Petrovitch, H. (2004). Walking and dementia in physically capable elderly men. JAMA. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.292.12.1447
Vancouver
Abbott RD, White LR, Ross GW, Masaki KH, Curb JD, Petrovitch H. Walking and dementia in physically capable elderly men. JAMA. 2004. doi:10.1001/jama.292.12.1447. PMID: 15383515.
BibTeX
@article{abbott2004-15383515,
author = {Abbott, R. D. and White, L. R. and Ross, G. W. and Masaki, K. H. and Curb, J. D. and Petrovitch, H.},
title = {{Walking and dementia in physically capable elderly men}},
journal = {JAMA},
year = {2004},
doi = {10.1001/jama.292.12.1447},
pmid = {15383515},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.292.12.1447}
}
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