Higher Cardiorespiratory Fitness Is Associated With Better Verbal Generativity in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

• Published in: Journal of aging and physical activity 2019-10, Vol.27 (5), p.703-710
• Main Authors: Frost, Natalie, Weinborn, Michael, Gignac, Gilles E, Markovic, Shaun, Rainey-Smith, Stephanie R, Sohrabi, Hamid R, Martins, Ralph N, Peiffer, Jeremiah J, Brown, Belinda M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Cardiorespiratory Fitness - physiology; Cardiorespiratory Fitness - psychology; Executive function; Executive Function - physiology; Exercise; Exercise - physiology; Exercise - psychology; Female; Generativity; Humans; Independent Living - psychology; Male; Neuropsychological Tests; Older people; Physical activity; Physical fitness; Surveys and Questionnaires
• ISSN: 1063-8652; 1543-267X
• DOI: 10.1123/japa.2018-0382

To examine the associations between physical activity duration and intensity, cardiorespiratory fitness, and executive function in older adults. Data from 99 cognitively normal adults (age = 69.10 ± 5.1 years;  = 54 females) were used in the current study. Physical activity (intensity and duration) was measured with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and fitness was measured by analysis of maximal aerobic capacity, VO peak. Executive function was measured comprehensively, including measures of Shifting, Updating, Inhibition, Generativity, and Nonverbal Reasoning. Higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness were associated with better performance on Generativity (  = .55; 95% confidence interval [.15, .97]). No significant associations were found between self-reported physical activity intensity/duration and executive functions. To our knowledge, this study is the first to identify an association between fitness and Generativity. Associations between physical activity duration and intensity and executive function requires further study, using objective physical activity measures and longitudinal observations.