Effectiveness of psychosocial and lifestyle interventions in promoting behaviour change and improving cognitive outcomes in older people with memory concerns: A systematic review.
Ageing Res RevAug 12, 2026 (epub)
Hannah Chapman, Claudia Cooper, Rosario Isabel Espinoza Jeraldo et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review evaluated the effectiveness of psychosocial and lifestyle interventions on behavior change and cognitive outcomes in older adults with memory concerns. The review included 26 studies, revealing moderate-certainty evidence that supportive interventions improved diet and physical activity. However, the certainty of evidence linking behavior change to cognitive improvement was low.
Key findings
- Moderate-certainty evidence showed that supportive interventions improved diet after 6+ months.
- Physical activity improvements were noted in interventions with education and structured training.
- Interventions targeting capability, opportunity, and motivation were more effective overall.
- Only 13% of studies recorded ethnicity, and 9% recorded sociodemographic status.
Why it matters
Understanding the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions is crucial for addressing lifestyle factors that may mitigate dementia risk in older adults, particularly in underserved populations.