Dataset Information

Is Engagement in Intellectual and Social Leisure Activities Protective Against Dementia Risk? Evidence from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Studies have suggested that mentally stimulating activities and socially engaged lifestyles may reduce dementia risk; however, it is unclear which activities are more beneficial.

Objective

We investigated intellectual and social leisure activities in relation to dementia incidence and explored the modifying role of sex and marital status in these associations.

Methods

The sample was comprised of 8,030 participants aged 50+ from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, who joined at wave 1 (2002-2003), or waves 3 (2006-2007), or 4 (2008-2009). The end of the study period was wave 8 (2016-2017). Subdistribution hazard models investigated the role of leisure activities grouped into intellectual and social domains in relation to dementia while accounting for the risk of death. Subsequent analyses were conducted with individual leisure activities.

Results

During the study period of up to 15 years, 412 participants developed dementia, and 2,192 died. We found that increased engagement in the intellectual activities' domain was associated with a decreased dementia incidence (SHR 0.85, 95% CI 0.76-0.96, p = 0.007), independent of the risk of death in married individuals, but not in those who were single, divorced, or widowed. Individual analyses for each leisure activity showed independent associations for reading newspapers in females (SHR 0.65, 95% CI 0.49-0.84, p = 0.001), mobile phone usage in males (SHR 0.61, 95% CI 0.45-0.84, p = 0.002), and having hobbies for married individuals (SHR 0.70, 95% CI 0.51-0.95, p = 0.02).

Conclusion

We found that intellectual leisure activities contribute to lower dementia risk in a representative population of English adults, suggesting intervention opportunities.

SUBMITTER: Almeida-Meza P

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8075407 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:ObjectivesTo examine the association between cognitive stimulating activities (CSA) in later life (internet/email use, employment, volunteering, evening classes, social club membership and newspaper reading) and risk of cognitive impairment or dementia using marginal structural models to account for time-varying confounding affected by prior exposure.MethodsData were used from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing waves 1 (2002) to 7 (2014), a nationally representative sample of adults in England aged ≥50. Self-reported participation in CSAs were measured as binary exposures from waves 2 (2004) to 6 (2012), with final sample sizes between n = 3937 and n = 2530 for different CSAs. Baseline exposure and covariates were used to create inverse probability of treatment and censoring weights (IPTCW). IPTCW repeated measures Poisson and linear regression were used to estimate each CSAs effect on risk of probable cognitive impairment or dementia at wave 7 (defined as a score of ≤11/27 on a modified telephone interview for cognitive status (TICS-27)). Results were compared to standard regression adjustment.ResultsInternet use at any wave (Risk ratios between 0.62 and 0.69) and volunteering in waves 3 to 6 (RRs between 0.516 and 0.633) were associated with reduced risk of cognitive impairment in IPTCW models. Standard estimates were similar for both internet use and volunteering.Newspaper reading (RR 95% Confidence interval 0.74-0.99) and social club membership (RR 95% CI 0.54-0.86) at wave 6 were significantly associated with risk of cognitive impairment in standard models, but not in the IPTCW models (RR 95% CI 0.82-1.11 and 0.60-1.08 respectively). Employment and evening classes were not associated with cognitive impairment in either model.ConclusionsWe found that volunteering and internet use were associated with reduced risk of cognitive impairment. Associations between newspaper reading or social club membership and cognitive impairment may be due to time-varying confounding affected by prior exposure.