Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40021918›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2025

Association between physical activity and cognitive function in a multi-ethnic Asian older adult population.

Yook Chin Chia, Eden Ngah Den Low, Jane Kimm Lii Teh, Jactty Chew, Arjun Thanaraju, Wei Gene Lim, Samira Vafa, Michael John Jenkins

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Trial
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Yook Chin ChiaDepartment of Medical Sciences, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Sunway City, Selangor, Malaysia. ycchia@sunway.edu.my.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1995-0359
Eden Ngah Den LowDepartment of Biological Sciences, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Sunway City, Selangor, Malaysia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9231-0748
Jane Kimm Lii TehDepartment of Actuarial Science and Risk, School of Mathematical Sciences, Sunway University, Sunway City, Selangor, Malaysia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2389-6578
Jactty ChewDepartment of Biological Sciences, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Sunway City, Selangor, Malaysia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0287-8883
Arjun ThanarajuDepartment of Biological Sciences, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Sunway City, Selangor, Malaysia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0001-3048-4961
Wei Gene LimDepartment of Biological Sciences, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Sunway City, Selangor, Malaysia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6872-9795
Samira VafaDepartment of Psychology, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Sunway City, Selangor, Malaysia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7158-3045
Michael John JenkinsDepartment of Psychology, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Sunway City, Selangor, Malaysia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2394-9019

Funding

Malaysian Department of Higher Education (MOHE) LRGS/1/2019/SYUC/02/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Physical activity (PA) is regarded as a non-pharmacological preventive strategy against cognitive decline. This study aimed to examine the relationship between PA and cognitive function in cognitively normal older Malaysian adults from a multi-ethnic, urban-dwelling community. Participants completed a questionnaire with questions on demographic details, socioeconomic status, health conditions, and short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Bivariate analyses and hierarchical linear regression were conducted to examine the relationship between IPAQ and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores. Among the 382 participants (median age = 66 years), 51.6% were female. Median MoCA score was 24; and IPAQ levels were 28%, 39% and 33% 'Low', 'Moderate' and 'High' respectively. Bivariate analysis showed MoCA scores significantly differed across IPAQ levels (p-value < 0.001). Pairwise comparisons showed significant differences between MoCA scores and 'High' and 'Low' (p-value < 0.001) and 'Moderate' and 'Low' (p-value = 0.001) IPAQ levels. Hierarchical regression of potential confounding factors showed that while lower PA, being older, being Malay and hypertension were initially associated with lower MoCA scores, the association was explained by the greater influence of education and savings. Additional research is required to gain a more comprehensive understanding of these relationships.

Indexed as

CognitionExerciseAgedAged, 80 and overAsian PeopleEthnicityFemaleHumansMalaysiaMaleMiddle AgedSurveys and QuestionnairesAgeingCognitive functionIPAQMontreal cognitive assessment (MoCA)Multi-ethnic AsianPhysical activitySocioeconomic status

Identifiers

PMID40021918
PMCPMC11871288

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.