Abstract
Objectives: To evaluate the association between cognition, physical activity, and quality of life and to investigate the influence of sociodemographic factors in the elderly in a medium-sized city in the state of Minas Gerais. Methods: The study was observational, transversal and quantitative. A total of 303 elderly people were interviewed. We used an identification form, the WHOQOL-OLD quality of life test, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). For the analysis, the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests were applied, with significance of p<0.05. Results: The predominance of females in the age group of 66 to 70 years, with education between 4 and 8 years and income of up to two minimum wages is noteworthy. The sample presented mostly preserved cognition (n=186; 61%), regular quality of life (n=163; 54%) and was active in terms of level of physical activity (n=251; 83%). Active elderly individuals presented better quality of life, however, there was no association with improvement in cognition. It was observed that higher age, lower income and lower education correlate with lower cognitive level. Conclusion: There was a positive relationship between the quality of life of the elderly and the practice of physical activity.