Stay active to ward off dementia
STAYING active in later life could protect against dementia, say researchers.
Frail people, who struggle to do simple tasks such as walk 100 metres, put on their shoes or get out of bed, more than triple their risk of the condition. However that frailty could be kept at bay by doing plenty of physical exercise.
A study has found those classed as frail in middle and old age are 3.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia a decade later. This may come from insulin resistance – a cause of dementia – which speeds up the natural loss of muscle mass that occurs in old age.
People with muscle weakness are more likely to have high blood sugar levels, caused by their resistance to insulin, and they also suffer from inflammation, which is a reaction of the immune system believed to lead to brain changes seen in dementia.
Researchers at University College London analysed data on 8,700 people in England aged 50 and over to determine their frailty, which included mobility difficulties, such as being unable to get out of a chair after a long period, and chronic illnesses such as heart disease.
They also found people who were ‘pre-frail’, ticking almost enough boxes to fall into the category, were almost twice as likely to get dementia in the next ten years.
The study’s lead author, Dr Nina Rogers from UCL, said: ‘Dementia is very difficult to manage, so the best thing we can do is find ways to delay its onset and slow its progress.
‘There are simple things you can do to reduce the risk of frailty, like doing lots of physical exercise, so those are the things to focus on because the knock-on effect might be reducing the risk of dementia.’
Frail people are already at greater risk of going rapidly downhill following minor falls or health problems.
Unhealthy lifestyles which have led to heart problems may also raise the risk of brain disease.
Responding to the study, Dominic Carter of the Alzheimer’s Society said: ‘Given the link between other health conditions, lifestyle and dementia risk, it is not surprising to see that frail people are more likely to develop dementia.’
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‘Do lots of exercise’