Reading Habits Among Older Adults in Relation to Level and 15-Year Changes in Verbal Fluency and Episodic Recall

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to investigate reading habits in older adults in relation to level and 15-year changes in verbal fluency and episodic recall. We examined a sample of 1157 participants (≥55 years at baseline) up to 15 years after the baseline assessment using latent growth curve modeling of cognitive measures with baseline reading frequency (books, weekly magazines) as a predictor of cognitive level (intercept) and rate of change (slope). Subgroup analyses were performed to investigate the role of an early adult g factor in the association between reading habits and cognitive ability in midlife. Frequent reading of books, but not of magazines, was associated with higher levels of verbal fluency and recall but unrelated to rate of longitudinal decline. Subgroup analyses indicated that the g factor in early adulthood predicted reading and cognitive level in midlife and this factor removed the current association between reading habits and level of cognitive ability (both cognitive factors). The results indicate an enduring relationship between book reading and level of cognitive ability across the adult life span and provide little support of the hypothesis that frequent reading protects against late-life cognitive decline. The extent to which book reading promotes cognitive functioning in childhood/youth remains to be demonstrated. Intervention studies may be useful in this regard.

Sedentary Behavior and Happiness: The Mediation Effects of Social Capital

“…There are several plausible explanations for the observed associations between sedentary behavior and positive mental health. Mentally active sedentary behavior requiring cognitive effort, such as reading and researching, may improve cognitive abilities ( Sörman et al, 2018 ), and better cognitive abilities may lead to better positive mental health ( Tan et al, 2019 ). Additionally, because active people have been reported to have higher positive mental health ( Piqueras et al, 2011 ; Richards et al, 2015 ), reducing harmful sedentary behavior and increasing physical activity would enhance positive mental health.…”

Association Between Reading Habit and Sleep Among Age Over 40 Years Community Residents: A Population-Based Evidence Study

“…Reading set as a potential factor that is related with sleeping was discussed by a previous study; 21 our results showed that reading behavior associated negatively with sleep duration during weekdays among middle-aged and elderly Chinese residents, but not at weekends. Although a previous study found relevant valid evidence that reading can ameliorate declines in cognitive level in elderly people, 22 sleep disturbance was not described. In the present study, the decreased weekday sleep duration attributed to reading might be due to reading time reducing the total bedtime on weekdays.…”

Consequências do comportamento sedentário no bem-estar psicossocial: estudo qualitativo com idosos residentes em Portugal (Consequences of sedentary behavior on psychosocial well-being: a qualitative study with older adults living in Portugal)

“…Estas variáveis estão em concordância com as caraterísticas do comportamento sedentário (frequência, interrupção, tempo e tipo) que devem ser consideradas na relação entre o sedentarismo e a saúde (Tremblay, Colley, Saunders, Healy, & Owen, 2010). De facto, os estudos mais recentes começam a considerar a análise das diferentes dimensões do comportamento sedentário, como o tipo de comportamento sedentário (Hallgren et al, 2018), a interrupção e o volume de tempo ininterrupto sentado e a sua frequência (Sörman, Ljungberg, & Rönnlund, 2018).…”

“…No entanto, é preciso considerar que os comportamentos sedentários mentalmente ativos podem apresentar diferentes níveis de estimulação cognitiva. Isto significa que as atividades sedentárias que apresentam caraterísticas mais superficiais do ponto de vista cognitivo são menos prováveis que envolvam a utilização de recursos cognitivos significativos (Sörman et al, 2018). Nesse sentido, para promover a saúde cognitiva dos idosos sugere-se uma redução do tempo em comportamentos sedentários passivos e o envolvimento em atividades físicas de intensidade moderada a vigorosa (Araque-Martínez, Ruiz-Montero, & Artés-Rodríguez, 2020; Astorga-Verdugo, Borges-Silva, González-Silva, Martínez-Araya, & Rojas-Cabezas, 2020), assim como a realização de tarefas sedentárias cognitivamente estimulantes.…”