Comparative Study of the Level of Certain Cognitive Functions in Elderly Practitioners and Non-Practitioners of Physical Activity

Abstract

 This study aimed to examine the level of selected cognitive functions (concentration, attention, and memory) among physically active and inactive older adults and to identify differences according to the type of physical activity, frequency of participation, duration, and time of exercise. The study adopted a comparative descriptive approach and was conducted on a sample of 60 older adults from Al-Marj City, equally divided into physically active and inactive groups.
The findings revealed that the active group demonstrated a high level of cognitive functioning, whereas the inactive group showed a moderate level. Significant statistical differences were found in concentration, attention, and memory in favor of the physically active participants. The results also indicated significant differences related to the type of physical activity, favoring participants engaged in five-a-side football, as well as differences related to exercise duration, with better outcomes associated with sessions lasting more than 45 minutes. However, no statistically significant differences were found regarding weekly exercise frequency or the time of day of exercise (morning or evening). The study recommends encouraging older adults to engage in regular physical activity to maintain cognitive abilities and enhance their quality of life