Social and leisure activities and risk of dementia: a prospective longitudinal study.
OBJECTIVE
To study the relationship between social and leisure activities and risk of subsequent dementia in older community residents.


METHODS
A cohort study of people aged 65 and older were followed-up 1 and 3 years after a baseline screening (the Paquid study).


METHODS
2040 older subjects living at home in Gironde (France) were randomly selected and followed for at least 3 years.


METHODS
Information about social and leisure activities was collected during the baseline screening with an interview by a psychologist. Incident cases of dementia were detected during the first and third year follow-up screenings according to the DSM-III-R criteria.


RESULTS
All but one of the social and leisure activities noted were significantly associated with a lower risk of dementia. Only golden club participation was not significantly associated with this risk. After adjustment for age and cognitive performance measured by the Mini-Mental State Exam, visual memory test, and verbal fluency test, only traveling (Relative risk (RR) = .48,95% Confidence Interval (95% CI) = .24-.94), odd jobs or knitting (RR = .46,95% CI = .26-.85), and gardening (RR = .53, 95% CI = .28-.99) remained significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Regular participation in social or leisure activities such as traveling, odd jobs, knitting, or gardening were associated with a lower risk of subsequent dementia.
Fabrigoule
C
C
INSERM U 330, Université de Bordeaux II, France.
Letenneur
L
L
Dartigues
J F
JF
Zarrouk
M
M
Commenges
D
D
Barberger-Gateau
P
P
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003071:Cognition; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003704:Dementia / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors