A recent study conducted in Canada followed 1600 adults for 5 years and discovered a risk for dementia that rivals the threat of even genetic predisposition: a sedentary lifestyle. People who did not exercise were as likely to be at risk for dementia as those who were genetically predisposed. The researchers who tracked the participants in the Canadian Study of Health and Aging, found that while carriers of a variant of the apolipoprotein E genotype are more likely to develop dementia, inactivity dramatically increases the risk for noncarriers.
Nearly 47.5 million people worldwide are living with dementia. With the aging of the world’s population, that number is expected to surge to 115.4 million by the year 2050. Dementia has no known cure, therefore, there is an urgent need to understand lifestyle factors that can reduce the risk, according to researchers.
While researchers are still unsure exactly what kind of exercise can help prevent dementia, it is clear that those who are sedentary are at a higher risk. The benefits of exercise are countless, so continue working through your program to help your body and your mind.