Physical activity is linked to lower risk of cognitive impairment
Sedentary behavior was linked to higher odds of cognitive impairment from ages 78 to 85 (OR 2.61) and 85 to 90 (OR 2.90).
Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
In community-dwelling human adults born between 1920 and 1921, researchers tracked physical activity and cognitive function from ages 70 to 100. The Jerusalem Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Study assessed participants across six waves from age 70 (n = 604) to age 100 (n = 205). Cognitive impairment was defined as a Mini-Mental State Examination score of 23 or lower out of 30. Participants were categorized as sedentary if they reported less than 4 hours of physical activity weekly, or active if they reported more than 4 hours weekly. In longitudinal analyses, baseline sedentary behavior was significantly associated with cognitive impairment between ages 78 and 85 (OR 2.61, 95% CI 1.38–4.82) and between ages 85 and 90 (OR 2.90, 95% CI 1.63–5.11). Between ages 90 and 95, a similar association was not statistically significant.
Why it matters
The findings suggest that remaining physically active into late life is associated with preserved cognitive function well past age 80. They indicate that physical activity remains a relevant correlate of cognitive health even in the oldest-old.
Caveats
The observational design and self-reported physical activity measure cannot determine whether inactivity causes cognitive impairment or reflects preclinical decline. In addition, sample sizes declined substantially by age 95 and 100, which may limit statistical power at the latest ages.
The paper
Hadassah Medical Center
Journal of Alzheimer's Disease · 28 Sep 2026