Physical activity and subjective cognitive decline: Nursing implications from a population-based study

• Physical inactivity is associated with higher prevalence of subjective cognitive decline • Associations are consistent across middle-aged and older adults in Spain • Nurses play a key role in translating population evidence into prevention strategies • Nursing taxonomies support implementation of physical activity promotion in practice Regular physical activity is recognized as a protective factor against cognitive decline, yet its association with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) remains underexplored in population-based samples and insufficiently translated into nursing practice. To examine the relationship between leisure-time physical activity and SCD in Spanish adults, using nationally representative data, and to identify implications for nursing-led preventive strategies. A narrative synthesis of the literature was combined with secondary interpretation of published findings from the 2020 European Health Interview Survey in Spain. Two cross-sectional analyses (n = 15,866 middle-aged adults; n = 7,082 older adults) investigated the association between physical activity frequency and self-reported cognitive complaints using multivariate logistic regression adjusted for sociodemographic and health variables. No new data were collected. Adults reporting no regular leisure-time physical activity were more than twice as likely to experience SCD compared with those engaging in frequent activity, even after adjustment for confounders. Associations were consistent across age groups, with particularly elevated risks among women and individuals with lower educational attainment. Regular physical activity is significantly associated with lower prevalence of SCD across adulthood. These findings reinforce the role of nurses in designing and implementing preventive interventions that promote physical activity to preserve cognitive health.