Pedometer-Assessed Steps Per Day as a Predictor of Cognitive Performance in Older Adults

Objective: To examine associations between pedometer-assessed daily steps and several domains of cognitive functioning in cognitive healthy older adults. Method: A total of 582 cognitively healthy older adults enrolled in a longitudinal aging study completed the Uniform Data Set (UDS) neuropsychological battery (n = 374) or the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS; n = 208) and were asked to wear a pedometer for 1 week. Results: Bivariate correlations revealed associations between average daily steps and attention, executive functioning, language, and memory on one or both cognitive batteries. Multiple regression analyses controlling for demographic, health, and mobility variables demonstrated a significant relationship between average daily steps and the executive functioning composite of the UDS battery and average daily steps and the attention index of the RBANS battery. Both of these composites include measures of processing speed and, therefore, the most robust link between daily steps and cognition may be its association with processing speed. Conclusions: Step counts as measured by a pedometer, a simple and inexpensive measure of daily physical activity, are robustly associated with aspects of cognition. As pedometer-based interventions have shown success in increasing daily physical activity in older adults, a greater number of future studies should consider measuring cognitive outcomes of these interventions.