As little as five minutes of exercise per day can help prevent dementia in the elderly, according to a new study.
Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found a little movement, even for frail adults, could protect against the disease.
Study lead author Amal Wanigatunga said engaging in as little as 35 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week, compared to zero minutes per week, was associated with a 41 percent lower risk of developing dementia over an average four-year follow-up period.
“Even for frail older adults, those at elevated risk of adverse health outcomes, greater activity was associated with lower dementia risks,” Associate Professor Wanigatunga said.
He said the researchers found dementia risk decreased with higher amounts of physical activity, with the risk 60 percent lower in participants in the 35 to 69.9 minutes of physical activity/week category; 63 percent lower in the 70 to 139.9 minutes/week category; and 69 percent lower in the 140 and over minutes/week category.
“Our findings suggest that increasing physical activity, even as little as five minutes per day, can reduce dementia risk in older adults.
“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.”
Associate Professor Wanigatunga said the minimum amount of activity needed to reduce dementia risk meaningfully wasn’t yet clear.
He said for many older individuals, especially frail ones, the high amounts of exercise recommended in official guidelines were unattainable and may discourage any exercise at all.
“Both the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.K. National Health System recommend that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week, an average of 20 minutes per day.”
Read the full study: Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity at any Dose Reduces All-Cause Dementia Risk Regardless of Frailty Status.
