title: Going outdoors and cognitive function among community-dwelling older adults: Moderating role of physical function.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Identifying the risk factors of cognitive impairment is essential for implementing effective prevention strategies for dementia. Previous studies have shown that the frequency of going outdoors is inversely associated with cognitive decline. Little research has examined whether the relationship between going outdoors and cognitive decline varies with physical functioning in older adults. The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between going outdoors and cognitive function in older adults with and without physical function limitations.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study analyzed the data of 4450 individuals (aged 65 years or older) who participated in the Obu Study of Health Promotion for the Elderly. The measures were the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), going outdoors (at least once a week or not), self-reported physical function limitations (with or without), and demographic and health-related factors as potential confounders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis of covariance and post-hoc comparisons showed that although going outdoors at least once a week was associated with higher MMSE scores among older adults with limited physical function, it was not significantly associated with the MMSE scores among older adults without limited physical function. Similarly, logistic regression analyses, stratified by physical function, showed a significant association between going outdoors and MMSE (<24 points or not) among older adults with limited physical function.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results show that going outdoors less than once a week is associated with decreased cognitive function among older adults with limited physical function, but it is not associated with cognitive function among older adults without limited physical function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Functioning Activation, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Harada
authors.affiliation: Department of Functioning Activation, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Aichi, Japan.|Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Sangyoon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Functioning Activation, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Hyuntae
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Functioning Activation, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.affiliation: Department of Functioning Activation, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Hyuma
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Makizako
authors.affiliation: Department of Functioning Activation, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Aichi, Japan.|Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Takehiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Doi
authors.affiliation: Department of Functioning Activation, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.affiliation: Department of Functioning Activation, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Kota
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsutsumimoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Functioning Activation, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Anan
authors.affiliation: Department of Functioning Activation, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uemura
authors.affiliation: Research Institute, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Takao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suzuki
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D057566:Self Report; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: aged; cognition disorders; effect modifier; homebound persons; physical function; preventive medicine