title: Dose-response relation between physical activity and cognitive function: guangzhou biobank cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine, via cross-sectional analysis, the dose-response association between physical activity and cognitive function in Chinese subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 27,651 participants aged 50 to 85 years were recruited from 2003 to 2008. Information on potential confounders, including demographic and anthropometric characteristics, socioeconomic position, lifestyle, and disease history, was collected by standardized interview and procedures. Cognitive function was assessed by the delayed 10-word recall test (DWRT).
  
  
  RESULTS
  When the International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used, we found that most of the participants were classified as physically active (53.1%), with 42.4% moderately active and 4.5% physically inactive. Significant dose-response relations across quintiles of metabolic equivalent value (METs) with DWRT score in participants with or without good self-rated health were found (all p for trend <.001). In participants with poor self-rated heath, compared with the first quintile of METs, those in the fifth quintile (highest METs) had a significantly reduced risk for mild cognitive impairment by 28% (adjusted odds ratio, 0.72; 95% confidence interval, 0.58-0.89, p < .01; p for trend = .006). After additional adjustment for depression, we found that the association between physical activity and DWRT score remained significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A significant dose-response relationship between physical activity and cognitive function was found, and the association was more pronounced in participants with poor self-rated health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, School of Public Health, University of Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Chao Qiang
authors.initials: CQ
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Tai Hing
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Wei Sen
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: G Neil
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Kar Keung
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*