What type of exercise is needed to reduce the risk of dementia?

Experts have long believed that exercise can help prevent the onset of dementia. However, although they observed a general pattern of risk reduction, research on the subject is small. There has been little consensus on the optimal type, frequency, or intensity of exercise.

Dr. Joel Salinas, an assistant professor of neurology at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine, who specializes in treating people with dementia, said:

However, three major long-term studies published in recent months have attempted to characterize the type, intensity, and duration of physical activity that provide the most comprehensive protection against dementia. These studies, which tracked thousands, even hundreds of thousands of people at a time, confirm that regular physical activity, in many ways, plays an important role in reducing the risk of developing dementia. doing.

Vigorous exercise seems to work best, but even nontraditional exercise, such as doing household chores, can provide significant benefits. It is as effective as

Many forms of exercise can stave off dementia.

in the first researchpublished July 27 in the journal Neurology, researchers analyzed the health information of 501,376 participants who did not have dementia in a UK database called the UK Biobank, and compared physical activity with developing the disease. established a link with risk.

One of the main advantages of the database was that it had “extremely rich data on the genetics” of the participants, said one of the study’s authors, a researcher at the West China Hospital of Sichuan University. Dr. Huan Song said. This included a participant’s risk profile based on whether they had a genetic variant known to be associated with dementia or whether they had a close relative with the condition. .

At the start of the study, participants completed a detailed questionnaire about their participation in physical activity, such as playing sports, climbing stairs, and walking, and whether they regularly walked or biked to work. They were also asked about various lifestyle factors, such as how often they complete household chores.

One of the main limitations of previous research was “very weak definitions of physical activity,” Dr. Song said. “Some people use total volume, others focus on one mode of activity.” A UK questionnaire pinpointed exactly what activities participants were doing on a regular basis.

Participants were followed for 11 years, during which time 5,185 developed dementia. The study found that participants who engaged in regular, vigorous activities such as sports or working out had a 35% reduced risk of developing dementia. Surprisingly, those who reported completing household chores on a regular basis also experienced significant benefits. They had a 21 percent lower risk.

“Some people sweat a lot while doing household chores,” said Sandra Weintraub, PhD, a neurologist at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “Three hours of housework may do as well as 30 minutes of cardio.”

Dr. Salinas recommends targeting 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise per week, and the results support the idea that regular moderate-to-vigorous exercise promotes brain health. is to reinforce Developing this exercise routine “is likely to have a very large synergistic effect,” he said. You get the effect.”

Perhaps most encouragingly, the association between physical activity and reduced risk of dementia extended to participants with a family history of dementia.

“If you have a family history of dementia, it’s very important to know that you can use physical activity to reduce your risk,” Dr. Song said.

Start by doing what you love the most.

of second paperPublished last week in Neurology, it brings together 38 studies to find out which leisure activities are associated with a lower risk of dementia. Overall, these studies followed his more than two million participants without dementia for at least three years, during which time he developed dementia in 74,700.

After adjusting for age, education, and gender, researchers found that participants who exercised regularly (defined as activities such as walking, running, swimming, dancing, participating in sports, and working out at the gym) had a 17% risk. found to be low. more likely to develop dementia than those who do not.

This meta-analysis shows that dementia prevention is not limited to one activity or one type of activity. Given the variety of physical activities performed by participants, “we encourage you to do what you like,” said Le Shi, a researcher at Peking University and one of the study’s authors.

When it comes to reaping the benefits of physical activity, it’s never too early to start.and Third research In a study released this month, researchers followed more than 1,200 children aged 7 to 15 for over 30 years. People with higher fitness levels in childhood have higher cognitive levels in middle age, suggesting that establishing a lifelong physical activity habit may be beneficial for brain health. .

Taken together, these studies suggest that the way we move our bodies on a daily basis may add up over time. , has cemented the idea that it can go a long way in reducing the risk of dementia, even for those classified as at high risk for dementia.

“Your brain is part of your body and will benefit from doing things that are good for your overall health,” said Dr. Weintraub.

Rachel Fairbank is a Texas-based freelance science writer.