A Longitudinal Dose-Response Curve Between Leisure-Time Physical Activity and the Prevalence of Diabetes Based on the Different Levels of Cognitive Function Among Older Adults

Abstract

This study investigated a dose-response relationship between Leisure-Time Physical Activity participation (LTPA) and the risk of diabetes and a comparison of the risk across different cognitive function groups among older adults. The Health and Retirement Study data were used from 2012 to 2020 (n = 18 746). This study conducted a Cox Proportional Hazard Regression to investigate the Dose-Response Curve between the prevalence of diabetes and the covariates following a level of LTPA participation. The result presented that the Odds Ratio continuously decreased as the level of LTPA participation increased. Among the three cognitive function groups, the high group (OR = .43, P < .05) and the mid group (OR = .71, P < .05) had a larger negative slope coefficient than the low group. This study found that LTPA participation reduces the risk of diabetes and gives evidence for the importance of cognitive function in reducing the prevalence of diabetes.