WELLBEING TRAJECTORIES AND DEMENTIA RISK AMONG MEXICAN-ORIGIN ADULTS LIVING IN THE U.S. - Vol. 9 - No. S2

Sep 28, 2026

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Higher wellbeing is consistently associated with better cognitive health, yet the link between long-term wellbeing trajectories and cognitive health or modifiable dementia risk factors remains unclear, especially for high-risk groups. Using 14-year longitudinal data from the California Families Project (analytic N=1,082), the study estimated trajectories of life satisfaction and optimism and tested associations with later cognitive function, impairment status, memory outcomes, and modifiable dementia risk factors.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Study design and data source

Wellbeing measures and analytic approach

Cognitive health outcomes

Modifiable dementia risk factors

488 Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 Abstract citation ID: igaf122.1672 WELLBEING TRAJECTORIES AND DEMENTIA RISK AMONG MEXICAN-ORIGIN ADULTS LIVING IN THE U.S. Emily Willroth1, Olivia Atherton2, Angelina R. Sutin3, and Richard Robins4, 1. Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, United States, 2. University of California Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 489 Riverside, Riverside, California, United States, 3. Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, Florida, United States, 4. University of California, Davis, Davis, California, United States Higher wellbeing is consistently associated with better cognitive health. However, little is known about how long-term trajectories of wellbeing are associated with cognitive health or modifiable dementia risk factors, particularly among populations at high risk for dementia. To address these open questions, we used data from The California Families Project, a 14-year longitudinal study of Mexican-origin adults living in the United States (analytic N =1,082), to estimate long-term trajectories of wellbeing (i.e., life satisfaction and optimism) and whether the level and/or slope of wellbeing was associated with later cognitive health (i.e., cognitive function and impairment status, self-and informant-rated memory) and modifiable dementia risk factors (i.e., hearing loss, hypertension, higher body weight, smoking, depression, social isolation, physical inactivity, diabetes, alcohol use, poor sleep quality, inadequate or excessive sleep, inadequate health insurance, poor overall health). Higher life satisfaction level was associated with better self-and informant-reported memory, and more positive life satisfaction slope was associated with better self-rated memory. Higher optimism level was associated with better cognitive function and better self-rated memory, and more positive optimism slope was associated with better cognitive function. Life satisfaction and optimism levels and change were also associated with several modifiable dementia risk factors. These findings provide evidence that long-term trajectories of life satisfaction and optimism are associated with later levels of several cognitive health outcomes and modifiable dementia risk factors in Mexican-origin adults living in the United States, an ethnic group that experiences disproportionate rates of dementia.

FAQs

What does the study examine regarding wellbeing and dementia risk?

It examines how long-term trajectories of wellbeing—life satisfaction and optimism—relate to later cognitive health and to modifiable dementia risk factors.

Which data source and sample size were used?

The study uses data from the California Families Project, a 14-year longitudinal study of Mexican-origin adults living in the United States, with analytic N=1,082.

How were life satisfaction and optimism related to cognitive outcomes?

Higher life satisfaction level and more positive life satisfaction slope were linked to better memory outcomes, and higher optimism level and more positive optimism slope were linked to better cognitive function and self-rated memory.

Sep 28, 2026

Upload by Adam