Dementia Support Line
Keeping active in middle age may be tied to lower risk of dementia - Alzheimer's Society comment
Keeping physically and mentally active in middle age may be tied to a lower risk of developing dementia decades later, according to a study published today in the online journal Neurology.
Stimulating activities included reading, playing instruments, singing, going to concerts, bowling, walking, gardening, swimming, needlework, cycling, attending religious services and engaging in competitive sports.
Dr James Pickett, Head of Research at Alzheimer’s Society, said:
'We know that keeping active physically and mentally can reduce dementia risk. This study underlines that mid-life is a critical time to keep the brain healthy and guard against dementia - which is why we campaigned for dementia to be part of NHS Health Checks for over-40s, and urge people to attend so they can better understand the risks and take steps to lower them.
'Researchers only studied Swedish women, so we don’t know if the same results would be found in everyone everywhere. Dementia is very complex so there’s rarely a single reason why someone develops it, but lifestyle factors can affect our chances. We’re funding a long-term study of 700 middle aged people at risk of dementia to find out more about these links, as prevention is crucial while there are no treatments to stop or even slow down this devastating disease.'
