THERE ARE THINGS YOU CAN INCORPORATE INTO your daily life that may reduce your risk of cognitive decline. Today we explore leisure activities and dementia risk.
Admittedly, we still don’t understand the optimal risk reduction strategy we should use. Still, a new literature review adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that leisure activities may influence your brain health.
The new large meta-analysis shows that cognitive activities — reading, participating in handicrafts, playing games, or using a musical instrument —appears to have the most significant effect.
Today, we explore this additional proof that engaging in cognitive, physical, or social activities is associated with a lower risk of dementia.
Leisure activities and dementia risk
Historical studies have demonstrated an association between leisure activities and numerous health benefits. The upsides of these activities include a lower risk of cancer, heart attack, atrial fibrillation, and subjective well-being.
However, in aggregate, studies have offered only limited evidence about the role of leisure activities in reducing dementia risk.
Into this knowledge void comes a large meta-analysis. Researchers from Beijing (China) reviewed 38 longitudinal studies examining the effects of various leisure activities on dementia incidence in more than 2.1 million individuals.
Subjects provided information on their leisure activities via interviews or questionnaires. The researchers divided leisure activities into cognitive, physical, and social types.
During the study, 74,700 participants developed some form of dementia, 2848 developed Alzheimer’s disease, and 1423 developed vascular dementia.
Let’s get right to the promising results:
Cognitive activities, such as reading, doing handicrafts, and playing games or a musical instrument, appeared to have the greatest effect on dementia risk. Such activities appeared associated with a 23 percent drop in dementia risk.
Do you dance, walk, run, swim, or cycle? Such activities appeared associated with an over one-sixth (17 percent) reduction in the risk of dementia. In addition, those who engaged in social activities (such as visiting with friends, doing volunteer work, or taking a class) had a seven percent relative risk reop.
By dementia type, physical and cognitive activities appeared associated with relative risks of 0.87 and 0.66, respectively. These statistics translate to nearly one-seventh, and a one-third risk drops, respectively.
Physical activity appeared associated with a lower risk of vascular dementia.
Leisure activities and dementia — My take
In summary, leisure activities are inversely associated with the risk for all-cause dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, or vascular dementia.
This large study adds to a growing literature showing that staying mentally and physically active is associated with a lower risk for mild cognitive impairment or dementia.
For example, researchers from Mayo Clinic (USA) reported that staying mentally active, even later in life, may decrease the risk for mild cognitive impairment or dementia. Please remember that observational studies (even when subjected to meta-analyses) do not prove cause and effect.
Are you physically active? Do you engage in social events? What cognitive activities do you prefer? Thank you for joining me in this brief look at the relationship between leisure activity and dementia risk.
.The information I provided in this blog is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a medical professional or healthcare provider if you seek medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment. I am not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information in this blog.
