Key points from article :
A new study led by Amal Wanigatunga, PhD, MPH, from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, suggests that even small amounts of moderate to vigorous physical activity can significantly reduce dementia risk. Published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, the study found that just 35 minutes of such activity per week was linked to a 41% lower risk of developing dementia over an average follow-up of four years. Higher activity levels were associated with even greater reductions, with those exercising 140 minutes or more per week seeing a 69% lower risk.
The research analysed data from nearly 90,000 U.K. adults who wore wrist-worn activity trackers. Importantly, the study found that even frail individuals experienced the same protective effects from physical activity, suggesting that low-dose exercise could be an accessible dementia-prevention strategy. While the study does not prove causation, it aligns with growing evidence that exercise benefits brain health. The authors call for further research, particularly clinical trials, to explore exercise as a potential intervention against dementia.
