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Conference Agenda

Overview and details of the sessions of this conference. Please select a date or location to show only sessions at that day or location. Please select a single session for detailed view (with abstracts and downloads if available).

Daily Overview

Session

WR1_2_3: Abstract presentations: Active Living Across Settings: Work, Travel and Everyday Life
Location: White room 1
Session Chair: Ilkka Väänänen

Presentation 7

3:10pm - 3:13pm

Combined associations of lifelong physical activity and obesity with midlife cognitive changes: a population-based longitudinal study

Tuuli H. Suominen¹, Heidi J. Syväoja¹, Tuomas Kukko¹, Marja A. Heiskanen^2,3, Jaakko Nevalainen⁴, Katja Pahkala^2,3,5, Xiaolin Yang¹, Terho Lehtimäki^6,7, Olli T. Raitakari^2,3,8, Tuija H. Tammelin¹, Suvi Rovio^2,3,9

1: Likes, School of Health and Social Studies, Jamk University of Applied Sciences, Finland; 2: Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku, Finland; 3: Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland; 4: Unit of Health Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland; 5: Paavo Nurmi Centre, Unit for Health and Physical Activity, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; 6: Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Finnish Cardiovascular Research Center - Tampere, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland; 7: Department of Clinical Chemistry, Fimlab Laboratories, Tampere, Finland; 8: Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland; 9: Department of Public Health, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland

Backgound and aim: Physical activity (PA) and obesity show opposite associations with cognition, yet their joint long-term links with cognitive change remain poorly understood. This study examined combined associations of cumulative PA and body mass index (BMI) from childhood to midlife with cognitive changes in midlife.
Methods: Data were drawn from the longitudinal, population-based Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study (YFS; n=1173, 57% female). PA using standardized questionnaires and body weight and height were measured at 3–9-year intervals between 1980-2018. Cumulative PA and BMI were calculated for ages 9–42. Cognitive functions (learning and memory, working memory, reaction time, and information processing) were evaluated using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) in 2011 and 2018. Sex-stratified linear regression models were used to examine independent and joint associations of cumulative PA and BMI with cognitive changes, adjusting for age, education, polygenic risk score for cognitive function, cardiometabolic risk factors, and health behaviors.
Results: In males, higher cumulative BMI (β=-0.04, p=0.024) was associated with a greater decrease in learning and memory in midlife independent of cumulative PA. Higher cumulative PA (β=0.06, p=0.024) was associated with a smaller decrease in information processing independent of BMI. No significant associations were observed among females. No significant interactions were found in either sex.
Conclusions: Among males, accumulation of BMI and PA from childhood to midlife showed distinct, independent associations with midlife cognitive changes, underscoring the importance of sustained PA promotion and early obesity prevention for supporting cognitive health.
Support/Funding Source: Ministry of Education and Culture, Finland, OKM/15/626/2024.