history at a glance
For the study, more than 501,000 people with an average age of 56 from a UK database completed questionnaires asking how often they engaged in various physical activities, work-related and household chores, and mental activities, such as social visits. Participants reported their family history of dementia to help researchers narrow down genetic risk factors, then were followed for an average of 11 years. All participants, regardless of their family history of dementia, benefited from the protection of physical and mental activities, according to the study.
Both mental and physical activities, such as climbing stairs or frequently visiting family and friends, are lifestyle habits that scientists say could reduce the risk of dementia, according to a new study.
“Many studies have identified potential risk factors for dementia, but we wanted to learn more about a wide variety of lifestyle habits and their potential role in preventing dementia,” said study author Huan Song of the Sichuan University in Chengdu, China.
“Our study found that exercise, housework and social visits were associated with a reduced risk of various types of dementia,” Song added.
For the study, more than 501,000 people with an average age of 56 from a UK database completed questionnaires asking how often they engaged in various physical activities, work-related and household chores, and mental activities, such as social visits.
Other questions related to participants’ transportation habits, use of electronic devices, and education levels.
Participants reported their family history of dementia to help researchers narrow down genetic risk factors, then were followed for an average of 11 years.
Almost 5,200 people had developed dementia at the end of the study.
America is changing faster than ever! Add Changing America to your Facebook either Twitter feed to stay up to date with the news.
The team found that after adjusting for factors such as age, income and smoking, most of the mental and physical activities studied were linked to a lower risk of dementia. People who exercised frequently had a 35 percent lower risk of dementia than those who did not exercise regularly.
Participants who engaged in housework had a 21% lower risk than those who did not, and those who had daily visits with family and friends had a 15% lower risk.
All participants, regardless of their family history of dementia, benefited from the protection of physical and mental activities, according to the study.
The researchers noted that a limitation of the study could be related to self-reported activity levels, which could lead to inaccurate reporting.
“Our study has found that by participating more frequently in healthy physical and mental activities, people can lower their risk of dementia,” Song said. “Further research is needed to confirm our findings. However, our results are encouraging that making these simple lifestyle changes can be beneficial.”
Posted on July 28, 2022
Source: thehill.com