‘Surprising’ findings Trips to the gym may be bad for declining faculties

Oxford University researchers have found that those with mild to moderate dementia who went to the gym twice a week for up to 90 minutes went downhill slightly faster than those who abstained, leading them to conclude that exercise should not be recommended for people with dementia. They called for future trials to “consider the possibility that some types of exercise might worsen cognitive impairment”.

Commenting on the study, published in the BMJ, Rob Howard, of University College London, said: “On this basis, I don’t think we should ignore the possibility that exercise might actually be slightly harmful to people with dementia.”

Dr James Pickett, of the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “The results are somewhat surprising.”