Dalecká, A;
Kšiňan, A;
Szabó, D;
Čapková, N;
Pikhart, H;
Bobák, M;
(2025)
Neighborhood environment and cognitive functioning in middle-aged and older population: A mediating role of physical activity.
International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health
, 264
, Article 114521. 10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114521.
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Abstract
Background: Evidence on the impact of complex neighborhood environment, including air pollution, greenness, and neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation (nSED) on cognitive health in older adults remains scarce. Both cognition and neighborhood environment are associated with physical activity, but little is known about the potential mediating role of physical activity in this association. / Methods: Cross-sectional data of the Czech arm of the HAPIEE cohort study examined 4,178 participants (55.6% women) aged 45–69 years. Global cognitive score was constructed from memory, verbal fluency, and concentration domains. The exposures, assigned to participant's addresses, include 4-year (2000–2003) average concentrations of PM2.5, greenness index calculated from tree crown canopy cover estimation (2000), and census-based nSED characteristics. Physical activity and other covariates were assessed by a questionnaire. Structural equation modelling was used to estimate standardized β coefficients for the relationships between neighborhood environment, physical activity and cognitive performance. / Results: After controlling for a range of covariates, global cognitive function was inversely associated with PM2.5 (β = −0.087; 95%CI: 0.122 to −0.052) and nSED (β = −0.147; 95%CI: 0.182 to −0.115), and positively associated with greenness (β = 0.036; 95%CI: 0.001 to 0.069). We identified a weak but statistically significant mediating role of physical activity in the associations of PM2.5 exposures and nSED on global cognitive score. Total mediation proportions ranged from 3.9% to 6.5% for nSED and PM2.5, respectively. / Conclusions: The neighborhood environment was associated with cognitive health in older individuals; the associations were partially mediated by physical activity.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Neighborhood environment and cognitive functioning in middle-aged and older population: A mediating role of physical activity |
| Location: | Germany |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114521 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114521 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Copyright © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier GmbH. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). |
| Keywords: | Cognitive function, Ambient air pollution, Greenness, Socioeconomic deprivation, Physical activity |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute of Epidemiology and Health UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute of Epidemiology and Health > Epidemiology and Public Health |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10205250 |
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