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Is engagement in intellectual and social leisure activities protective against dementia risk? Evidence from the English longitudinal study of ageing

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posted on 2023-06-10, 02:03 authored by Pamela Almeida-Meza, Andrew Steptoe, Dorina CadarDorina Cadar
Background: Studies have suggested that mentally stimulating activities and socially engaged lifestyles may reduce dementia risk; however, it is unclear which activities are more beneficial. Objective: We investigated intellectual and social leisure activities in relation to dementia incidence and explored the modifying role of sex and marital status in these associations. Methods: The sample was comprised of 8,030 participants aged 50+ from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, who joined at wave 1 (2002-2003), or waves 3 (2006-2007), or 4 (2008-2009). The end of the study period was wave 8 (2016-2017). Subdistribution hazard models investigated the role of leisure activities grouped into intellectual and social domains in relation to dementia while accounting for the risk of death. Subsequent analyses were conducted with individual leisure activities. Results: During the study period of up to 15 years, 412 participants developed dementia, and 2,192 died. We found that increased engagement in the intellectual activities’ domain was associated with a decreased dementia incidence (SHR 0.85, 95% CI 0.76–0.96, p?=?0.007), independent of the risk of death in married individuals, but not in those who were single, divorced, or widowed. Individual analyses for each leisure activity showed independent associations for reading newspapers in females (SHR 0.65, 95% CI 0.49–0.84, p?=?0.001), mobile phone usage in males (SHR 0.61, 95% CI 0.45–0.84, p?=?0.002), and having hobbies for married individuals (SHR 0.70, 95% CI 0.51–0.95, p?=?0.02). Conclusion: We found that intellectual leisure activities contribute to lower dementia risk in a representative population of English adults, suggesting intervention opportunities.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Published version

Journal

Journal of Alzheimer's Disease

ISSN

1387-2877

Publisher

IOS Press

Issue

2

Volume

80

Page range

555-565

Event location

Netherlands

Department affiliated with

  • BSMS Neuroscience Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2021-12-20

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2021-12-20

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2021-12-19