Physical exercises prevent the development of dementia
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Elderly people who perform vigorous physical exercises three or more times a week, are less likely to suffer from dementia in later life.
Specialists from the James A. Hayley Veterans Hospital in Florida (USA) analyzed the effect of physical activity at the age of 71 in 808 subjects who participated in two national studies on aging. The respondents answered questions three times about whether they had been engaged in vigorous physical activity in recent years, such as cycling, running, hard work at home.
It was found that those who had similar loads three or more times a week, dementia were diagnosed 25% less frequently during the next three to seven years. However, there was no difference between the subjects for other health factors, such as high blood pressure or diabetes.
Barbara Bendlin, an associate professor from the School of Medicine and Health at the University of Wisconsin, has no objection to the findings of colleagues, but suggests that more research should be conducted using other, more objective methods of measuring physical activity (movement sensors or analyzing the level of oxygen consumption during exercise).
In addition, while there is no answer to the main question: is the risk of dementia due to physical activity diminishing - or does the development of dementia make people less engaged in physical education. Behavioral changes associated with dementia may occur several years before the diagnosis of the disease. Therefore, it is quite possible that a decrease in the level of physical activity is a symptom of a worsening of cognitive abilities.
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