title: Intellectual ability in young adulthood as an antecedent of physical functioning in older age.
abstract: low cognitive ability is associated with subsequent functional disability. Whether this association extends across adult life has been little studied. The aim of this study was to examine the association between intellectual ability in young adulthood and physical functioning during a 10-year follow-up in older age.
  
  
  
  three hundred and sixty persons of the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study (HBCS) male members, born between 1934 and 1944 and residing in Finland in 1971, took part in The Finnish Defence Forces Basic Intellectual Ability Test during the first 2 weeks of their military service training between 1952 and 1972. Their physical functioning was assessed twice using the Short Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire at average ages of 61 and 71 years. A longitudinal path model linking Intellectual Ability Test score to the physical functioning assessments was used to explore the effect of intellectual ability in young adulthood on physical functioning in older age.
  
  
  
  after adjustments for age at measurement, childhood socioeconomic status and adult BMI (kg/m(2)), better intellectual ability total and arithmetic and verbal reasoning subtest scores in young adulthood predicted better physical functioning at age 61 years (P values <0.021). Intellectual ability total and arithmetic and verbal reasoning subtest scores in young adulthood had indirect effects on physical functioning at age 71 years (P values <0.022) through better physical functioning at age 61 years. Adjustment for main chronic diseases did not change the results materially.
  
  
  
  better early-life intellectual ability helps in maintaining better physical functioning in older age.
authors.affiliation: Gerontology Research Center and Department of Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.
authors.forename: Taina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Poranen-Clark
authors.affiliation: Gerontology Research Centre, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Mikaela B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: von Bonsdorff
authors.affiliation: Gerontology Research Center and Department of Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Törmäkangas
authors.affiliation: Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland Institute of Behavioral Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Jari
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lahti
authors.affiliation: Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Niko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wasenius
authors.affiliation: Institute of Behavioral Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Katri
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Räikkönen
authors.affiliation: MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
authors.forename: Clive
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Osmond
authors.affiliation: Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland Department of Health, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Minna K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Salonen
authors.affiliation: Gerontology Research Center and Department of Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.
authors.forename: Taina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rantanen
authors.affiliation: Department of Chronic Disease Prevention, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland Hospital of Children and Adolescents, Helsinki University Central Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, MRC Oulu, Oulu Univercity Central Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Eero
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kajantie
authors.affiliation: Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland Department of Health, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Johan G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Eriksson
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: cognitive functioning; intellectual ability; old age; older people; physical functioning