Walking may significantly decrease risk for dementia in older men

Older men (71-93 years) who walked the least had nearly twice the risk for dementia compared with peers who walked the most in a comparison study on walking and development of dementia, according to an article in the September 22nd issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Although previous evidence had suggested that physical activity may be related to clinical expression of dementia, there was no evidence whether low-intensity activity such as walking was associated with lower risk for expression of the disease.

Robert D. Abbott, Ph.D., of the University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Va., and colleagues examined the association between walking and future risk of dementia in older men.

The current study included 2,257 physically capable men aged 71 to 93 years in the Honolulu-Asia Aging Study. Distance walked per day was assessed from 1991 to 1993. Follow-up for incident dementia was based on neurological assessment at two repeat examinations (1994-1996 and 1997-1999).

The researchers found that after adjusting for age, men who walked the least (less than 0.25 mile/day) experienced a 1.8-fold excess risk of dementia compared with those who walked more than 2 miles/day. Men who walked 0.25 to 1 mile/day experienced a 71 percent increased risk of dementia compared with men who walked the most (more than 2 miles/day). These associations persisted after accounting for other factors, including the possibility that limited amounts of walking could be the result of a decline in physical function due to preclinical dementia.

“There are no clear explanations for the relation between walking and dementia,” the authors wrote. “Although associations were independent of other study characteristics that were determined at the time when walking was assessed, it may be that men who walk frequently are more resistant to risk factor changes or transitions into adverse risk factor states. Although changes in risk factor status in the course of follow-up were not considered in the current study (nor were such data always available), it would be important to determine if men who walk regularly are less prone to development of intervening conditions that have a closer link with dementia.”

“Although complex, this study and past evidence suggest that walking and active lifestyles in general are associated with a reduced risk of dementia,” the researchers concluded.

In a separate article in the same issue, researchers found that regular physical activity including walking was associated with better performance on cognitive function tests and less decline over time among older women (age 70 years or older) who were participating in the long-term Nurses’ Health Study.

The authors wrote “… the apparent cognitive benefits of greater physical activity were similar in extent to being about three years younger in age and were associated with a twenty percent lower risk of cognitive impairment. The association was not restricted to women engaging in vigorous activities …”

“In summary, in our study, as well as in other epidemiologic investigations, higher levels of physical activity, including walking, are associated with better cognitive function and less cognitive decline.”

 


 


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