A study published in JAMA Network Open has found an association between memory decline and reduced physical activity in adults aged 50 and older. The research, which followed 2,529 adults in England over 17 years, indicates that participants with greater memory decline spent about 14 fewer minutes per day in light physical activity and 12 more minutes sedentary compared to those with more favorable memory trajectories. Over a week, this difference accumulates to approximately 1.6 additional hours of light activity for those with slower cognitive decline.
The findings suggest that cognitive decline may partly lead to reduced physical activity rather than the reverse, according to study author Mikaela Bloomberg, PhD, a Senior Research Fellow at University College London. Bloomberg told Medical News Today that the relationship between brain health and movement is likely bidirectional, cautioning that observational links between exercise and dementia risk should be interpreted carefully, particularly in older adults.
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