Association between lifestyle and cognitive impairment among women aged 65 years and over in the Republic of Korea

ABSTRACT

The high risk of dementia among elderly women is a major health issue in Korea. Lifestyle should be given special attention because a healthful lifestyle is highly likely to reduce the risk of dementia. This study aimed to explore the association between lifestyle and cognitive impairment, which is one of the major symptoms of dementia, among community-dwelling elderly women in Korea (N = 2,401). Descriptive statistics were used to examine demographics, and a chi-square test was performed to examine differences in the prevalence of cognitive impairment across age groups. Finally, multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to investigate the associations between lifestyle (i.e., daily water intake, alcohol consumption, regular exercise, and volunteering activities) and cognitive impairment. In this study, approximately 20% of participants were cognitively impaired, and the prevalence of those with cognitive impairment was significantly higher with age. Moreover, the odds of cognitive impairment were significantly lower among those who regularly participated in volunteering activities compared to those who did not. In addition, older age and a higher number of symptoms of subjective cognitive impairment were risk factors for cognitive impairment, whereas higher education was a protective factor. In conclusion, intervention strategies to motivate older women to participate in volunteering should be implemented to decrease the risk of dementia.