The Role of Lifestyle Behaviors on 20-Year Cognitive Decline
Table 3
Regression coefficients (95% confidence intervals) representing rate of decline in visual search from 43 to 60+ years per level increase in each health behavior at 36 and 43 years and per cumulative and change in health behavior scores.
(%)
Visual search decline 43 to 60+ (95% CI)
Model 1
Model 2
Smoking at age:
36 y
Non-smoking
780 (76.6)
0.00
0.00
1–20 c/day
200 (19.6)
−1.90 (−11.77, 7.96)
−1.79 (−11.68, 8.09)
20+ cig/day
38 (3.7)
−18.70 (−39.27, 1.86)
−19.44 (−40.05, 1.17)
value
0.156
0.148
43 y
Non-smoking
816 (80.1)
0.00
0.00
1–20 c/day
159 (15.6)
−4.19 (−14.92, 6.53)
−2.73 (−13.55, 8.08)
20+ cig/day
43 (4.2)
−19.54 (−38.97, −0.12)
−18.52 (−38.00, 0.94)
value
0.060
0.103
Midlife score:
Non-smoker
744 (73.0)
0.00
0.00
Moderate smoker
252 (24.7)
−4.85 (−13.93, 4.21)
−4.82 (−13.93, 4.28)
Heavy smokers
22 (2.1)
−24.80 (−51.61, 2.00)
−25.46 (−52.34, 1.42)
value
0.078
0.077
Change in smoking:
Non-smoker
744 (73.0)
0.00
0.00
Increase
55 (5.4)
−13.08 (−30.17, 4.00)
−12.78 (−30.02, 4.45)
Decrease
79 (7.7)
−2.70 (−17.06, 11.64)
−2.65 (−17.09, 11.78)
Constant med/heavy
140 (13.7)
−6.71 (−18.09, 4.67)
−5.82 (−17.44, 5.79)
value
0.374
0.455
Physical activity at age:
36 y
Inactive
324 (31.8)
0.00
0.00
Moderately active
275 (27.0)
2.69 (−7.29, 12.68)
3.20 (−6.80, 13.20)
Most active
419 (41.1)
8.00 (−1.12, 17.13)
8.47 (−0.70, 17.65)
value
0.081
0.067
43 y
Inactive
475 (46.6)
0.00
0.00
Moderately active
251 (24.6)
−3.93 (−13.57, 5.69)
−4.37 (−14.03, 5.28)
Most active
292 (28.6)
11.84 (2.55, 21.12)
11.18 (1.78, 20.58)
P value
0.022
0.034
Midlife score:
Inactive
221 (21.7)
0.00
0.00
Moderate
608 (59.7)
8.32 (−1.33, 17.97)
8.76 (−0.95, 18.47)
Most active
189 (18.5)
16.71 (4.32, 29.10)
17.00 (4.50, 29.51)
value
0.008
0.008
Change in activity:
Inactive
221 (21.7)
0.00
0.00
Increase
164 (16.1)
14.45 (1.83, 27.07)
13.78 (1.05, 26.50)
Decrease
354 (34.7)
7.58 (−2.87, 18.03)
7.80 (−2.72, 18.34)
Constant mod/active
279 (27.4)
10.51 (−0.74, 21.77)
10.46 (−0.92, 21.84)
value
0.127
0.157
Diet at age:
36 y
Low-quality diet
564 (55.4)
0.00
0.00
High-quality diet
454 (44.6)
−0.52 (−8.39, 7.34)
−1.74 (−9.67, 6.19)
value
0.896
0.667
43 y
Low-quality diet
521 (51.1)
0.00
0.00
High-quality diet
497 (48.8)
0.59 (−7.23, 8.42)
−1.03 (−8.91, 6.84)
value
0.881
0.797
Midlife score:
Low-quality diet
234 (22.9)
0.00
0.00
High-quality diet
784 (77.0)
1.59 (−7.89, 11.09)
−0.64 (−10.28, 9.00)
value
0.741
0.896
Change in diet:
Low-quality
234 (22.9)
0.00
0.00
Increase in quality
330 (32.4)
1.53 (−9.04, 12.12)
−0.69 (−11.45, 10.06)
Decrease in quality
94 (9.2)
−1.23 (−16.11, 13.64)
−3.22 (−18.18, 11.74)
Constant high-quality
360 (35.3)
1.63 (−9.09, 12.36)
−1.39 (−12.31, 9.57)
value
0.972
0.978
Model 1: model adjusted for sex, childhood social class, childhood cognition at age 8, SEP (own occupation and education), and depression. Model 2: model 1 plus other lifestyle behaviors.
