Functional Fitness and Cognition in Older Adults: A Mediation Model

Purpose: Investigate the mediating effects of functional fitness on age-related cognitive decline in older adults. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: A sample of 427 community-dwelling older adults reported their medical history and sociodemographic characteristics. Functional fitness was assessed based on the sit-and-reach, grip strength, sit to stand, agility, single-leg stance time and the 6-minute walk tests. Cognitive performance was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination. Multilevel mediation models were applied to assess the relationship between age and cognitive status. Results: In women, the relationship between age and cognitive decline (beta = -0.08; P < 0.05) was attenuated by agility (beta = -0.05; P < 0.05) and balance (beta = -0.4; P < 0.05). However, none of the functional fitness tests affected the relationship between age and cognitive decline in older men. Conclusion: Agility and balance attenuated the relationship between age and cognitive decline among older women by 50% and 40%, respectively.