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Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
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| Healthy behavior and memory self-reports in young, middle-aged, and older adults | | Author(s) | Gary W Small, Prabha Siddarth, Linda M Ercoli |
| Journal title | International Psychogeriatrics, vol 25, no 6, June 2013 |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press, June 2013 |
| Pages | pp 981-989 |
| Source | journals.cambridge.org/ipg |
| Keywords | Health [elderly] ; Exercise ; Diet ; Memory and Reminiscence ; Memory disorders ; Young adults [20-25] ; Mature adults ; Middle aged ; Older people ; Evaluation. |
| Annotation | Previous research has shown that healthy behaviours, such as regular physical exercise, a nutritious diet and not smoking, are associated with a lower risk for Alzheimer's disease and dementia. However less is known about the potential link between healthy behaviours and mild memory symptoms that may precede dementia in different age groups. In the present study a daily telephone survey (Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index) of US residents yielded a random sample of 18,552 respondents ranging in age from 18 to 99 years, including 4,423 younger (age 18-39 years), 6,356 middle-aged (40-59 years), and 7,773 older (60-99 years) adults. The questionnaire included demographic information and the Healthy Behavior Index (questions on smoking, eating habits and frequency of exercise). General linear models and logistic regressions were used in the analysis. Study findings showed that older adults were more likely to report healthy behaviours than were middle-aged and younger adults. Reports of memory problems increased with age (14% of younger, 22% of middle-aged, and 26% of older adults) and were inversely related to the Healthy Behavior Index. Reports of healthy eating were associated with better memory self-reports regardless of age, while not smoking was associated with better memory reports in the younger and middle-aged and reported regular exercise with better memory in the middle-aged and older groups. These findings indicate a relationship between reports of healthy behaviours and better self-perceived memory abilities throughout adult life, suggesting that lifestyle behaviour habits may protect brain health and possibly delay the onset of memory symptoms as people age. (JL). |
| Accession Number | CPA-130531225 A |
| Classmark | CC: CEA: CFD: DB: EH: SD6: SDM: SE: B: 4C |
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing |
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| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
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