Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42612650›Full record

SynthesisThe Lancet. Public health2026

Domain-specific physical activity levels and risk of dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Natan Feter, Paula Iso-Markku, Tiladia Markarian, Dylan M Luong, Jack Gunnink, Natália Schröder, Eduardo Lucia Caputo, Jayne Feter, Anamika Nanda, Sarah Hourihan and 9 more

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in The Lancet. Public health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
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

19 authors.

Natan FeterHuman and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Center of Research on Physical Activity, Health, and Technology, School of Physical Education, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil; School of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Instituto de Cardiologia, Fundação Universitária de Cardiologia, Porto Alegre, Brazil. Electronic address: feter@usc.edu.
Paula Iso-MarkkuInstitute for Molecular Medicine Finland, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, HUS Diagnostic Center, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
Tiladia MarkarianHuman and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Dylan M LuongHuman and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Jack GunninkHuman and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Natália SchröderCenter of Research on Physical Activity, Health, and Technology, School of Physical Education, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil; School of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Eduardo Lucia CaputoCenter of Research on Physical Activity, Health, and Technology, School of Physical Education, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil; Center for Evidence Synthesis in Health, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
Jayne FeterCenter of Research on Physical Activity, Health, and Technology, School of Physical Education, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil; School of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Anamika NandaHuman and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Sarah HourihanHuman and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Gustavo S da SilvaSchool of Physical Education, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil.
Ashley VenturaHuman and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Daniela Benzano BumaguinInstituto de Cardiologia, Fundação Universitária de Cardiologia, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Yann C KlimentidisDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
Gene E AlexanderDepartment of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA; BIO5 Institute, Evelyn F McKnight Brain Institute, Neuroscience Graduate Interdisciplinary Program, and Physiological Sciences Graduate Interdisciplinary Program, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA; Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
Daniel UmpierreClinical Research Center, Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Pedro C HallalDepartment of Health and Kinesiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
Airton José RombaldiCenter of Research on Physical Activity, Health, and Technology, School of Physical Education, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil; School of Physical Education, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil.
David A RaichlenHuman and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Anthropology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Funding

Research Education ComponentP30AG019610 · NIA · SUN HEALTH RESEARCH INSTITUTE · PI REIMAN, ERIC MICHAEL · 2001 to 2020
$32.5M
Research Education ComponentP30AG072980 · NIA · BANNER HEALTH · PI ALIREZA ATRI · 2021 to 2026
$24.9M
Revitalizing Cognition in Older Adults at Risk for Alzheimer's Disease with Near-Infrared Photobiomodulation: Diversity SupplementR01AG064587 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA · PI ALEXANDER, GENE E, BOWERS, DAWN · 2019 to 2023
$4.0M
Inactivity, sedentary behavior, and the risk for Alzheimer’s disease in middle aged to older adultsR01AG072445 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA · PI GENE E ALEXANDER, Yann Charles Klimentidis · 2022 to 2026
$3.3M
Physical activity predictors of cognitive and brain health in the risk for Alzheimer's diseaseR56AG067200 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA · PI ALEXANDER, GENE E, RAICHLEN, DAVID · 2020 to 2020
$767k
NIA NIH HHS P30 AG019610NIA NIH HHS P30 AG072980NIA NIH HHS R01 AG064587NIA NIH HHS R01 AG072445NIA NIH HHS R56 AG067200
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAssociations between physical activity and distinct health outcomes vary by domain (eg, leisure-time, occupational, household, or commuting); however, comparable evidence on dementia risk remains scarce. We aimed to examine the associations between domain-specific physical activity and risk of all-cause dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and vascular dementia.

methodsIn this systematic review and meta-analysis, we systematically searched PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, PsycINFO, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science for cohort and case-control studies published between Jan 1, 2021, and May 2, 2026. We also included studies from a previous systematic review (from database inception to Oct 21, 2021) with the same search strategy and eligibility criteria. Eligible studies included adults aged 20 years or older with cognitive function assessed at baseline, physical activity measures, and at least 1 year of follow-up. Studies were appraised with the Rayyan web-based platform and summary data (relative risk [RR] and 95% CI) were extracted by up to six independent reviewers. Outcomes were all-cause dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and vascular dementia, analysed by multilevel random-effects meta-analyses. Study quality was assessed with an adapted scale. This study is registered with PROSPERO (CRD420251010899).

findingsAmong 6270 identified records, 17 studies were eligible for inclusion. Combined with 57 studies in the previous systematic review, we included 74 studies totalling 4 227 297 participants (2 230 046 [52·8%] female and 1 997 251 [47·2%] male; median age 67·3 years [IQR 56·5-74·1]). 40 (54%) studies were of moderate or high quality and 69 (93%) were conducted in high-income countries. Over a median follow-up of 10·0 years (IQR 5·1-21·3), high physical activity levels were associated with reduced risks of all-cause dementia (n=146 effect sizes; RR 0·80 [95% CI 0·75-0·86]; I

interpretationThe association between physical activity and dementia risk might be domain-specific. Public health strategies for the prevention of dementia should address equitable access to safe spaces for exercise, adequate leisure time, and mitigation strategies in occupational settings.

fundingUS National Institutes of Health, Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul; the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development; and Department of Science and Technology of Secretariat of Science, Technology, Innovation and Health Complex of Ministry of Health of Brazil.

Indexed as

DementiaExerciseAlzheimer DiseaseHumansRisk Factors

Identifiers

PMID42612650
PMCPMC13532401

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
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 Socratic graph.