How much exercise you need to help prevent dementia

Just 35 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week could help prevent dementia, according to latest research.

There are currently an estimated 433,300 Australians living with dementia in Australia and although the risk of dementia increases with age, recent studies suggest that lifestyle changes, particularly exercise, may play a crucial role in prevention.

To explore how exercise could help prevent dementia, researchers from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health analysed data from British adults collected through the UK Biobank project.

The study involved 89,667 adults, mostly aged 50 and older, who wore wrist accelerometers for one week between February 2013 and December 2015 to track their physical activity.

The participants were followed for an average of 4.4 years, with health status monitored through November 2021. During this time, 735 participants were diagnosed with dementia.

The researchers compared those who engaged in some level of moderate to vigorous physical activity each week with those who didn’t, adjusting for age and other health conditions. The results showed a clear link between higher activity and lower dementia risk.

Participants in the lowest activity group (1–34.9 minutes per week) saw a 41 per cent reduction in dementia risk. As physical activity increased, the risk of dementia dropped even more: 60 per cent lower for those engaging in 35–69.9 minutes per week, 63 per cent lower for those with 70–139.9 minutes, and 69 per cent lower for those exercising 140 minutes or more per week.

The study’s lead author Amal Wanigatunga, PhD, MPH, assistant professor in the Bloomberg School’s Department of Epidemiology said the “findings suggest that increasing physical activity, even as little as five minutes per day, can reduce dementia risk in older adults.”

“This adds to a growing body of evidence that some exercise is better than nothing, especially with regard to an aging-related disorder that affects the brain that currently has no cure,” Wanigatunga said.

The findings come at a time when rates of dementia in Australia are projected to double within the next 30 years without significant intervention, according to the latest figures from Dementia Australia.

The alarming prediction has sparked calls from advocates for a national conversation on dementia and brain health.

Dementia Australia CEO Professor Tanya Buchanan is leading the charge, calling on the Federal Government to step in and help reduce the impact of “all forms of dementia”.

“Dementia Australia’s research clearly shows that there has been a sustained and profoundly concerning lack of awareness and understanding about dementia in the community – with many Australians mistakenly believing dementia is a normal part of ageing,” Professor Buchanan said.

“Dementia Australia is calling for critical investment from the Federal Government to support a national conversation on brain health, combined with more targeted and effective supports for people impacted by dementia.

“Taking this dual approach will ensure we are working towards reducing the impact of all forms of dementia.”

Rates of dementia in Australia are set to almost double to 812,500 in 30 years unless urgent action is taken while rates of younger onset dementia are also expected to jump by 12,000 up to 41,000 people.

IMPORTANT LEGAL INFO This article is of a general nature and FYI only, because it doesn’t take into account your personal health requirements or existing medical conditions. That means it’s not personalised health advice and shouldn’t be relied upon as if it is. Before making a health-related decision, you should work out if the info is appropriate for your situation and get professional medical advice.