Study finds even small amounts of exercise decrease risks of dementia
By Liberty Gilbert
Kentucky Health News
Kentucky Health News
A new study has found that people can lower their risk for dementia through exercise and, the more exercise, the lower the risk.
“Our findings suggest that increasing physical activity, even as little as five minutes per day, can reduce dementia risk in older adults,” Amal Wanigatunga, lead author and assistant professor in the department of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said in a news release. “This adds to a growing body of evidence that some exercise is better than nothing, especially with regard to an aging-related disorder that affects the brain that currently has no cure.”
More than six million people in America were living with dementia in 2023, according to the National Institute of Health. In Kentucky, 81,000 people aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s Disease, the most common type of dementia.
While the risks for dementia increase with age, studies have suggested that lifestyle changes, including physical activity, can reduce the risk of dementia.
The Johns Hopkins study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, analyzed a group of almost 90,000 people and found that even minimal activity can lead to a lower risk of dementia.
“Participants in the lowest activity category, ranging from one to 34.9 minutes per week, had an apparent risk reduction of about 41%,” according to the release.
More exercise led to more success. The researchers found dementia risks were 60% lower in participants in the 35 to 69.9 minutes of physical activity/week category; 63% lower in the 70 to 139.9 minutes/week category; and 69% lower in the 140 and over minutes/week category.
People striving for a healthier lifestyle and a lower dementia risk don’t have to exercise excessively to achieve their goals. Physical activity can include a brisk walk, cleaning, gardening, cooking and even washing the dishes, according to the Alzheimer’s Society.
The researchers note that the minimum amount of exercise needed to reduce the risk of dementia significantly isn’t fully clear. They also recognize that the recommended 20 minutes per day is not attainable by many people with dementia.
But even with these limitations, the researchers point to the 41% reduction of dementia risk among those who had the lowest activity category as a reason for people to do what they can to keep moving, even among patients who are considered frail.
Wanigatunga said, “This suggests that even frail or nearly frail older adults might be able to reduce their dementia risk through low-dose exercise.”
Liberty Gilbert is a student at the University of Kentucky College of Communications and Information and a spring intern for the Institute for Rural Journalism in the School of Journalism and Media at the University of Kentucky, which publishes Kentucky Health News with support from the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky.