Dementia is the seventh leading cause of death worldwide and there is no cure for the debilitating condition, but there are things you can do to prevent it.
A neuroscientist has revealed one simple thing everyone can start doing right now to lower their risk of cognitive decline as they age – walk!
‘Most powerful tool’ to prevent dementia
Speaking on Steven Bartlett’s Diary of a CEO podcast, Dr Wendy Suzuki explained the incredible benefits that walking can have on your brain.
“My number one most powerful tool that you can do to protect your brain from ageing and neurodegenerative disease states is start walking,” she said. “Everybody can walk. You don’t need to buy any new fitness outfits. Just go out and walk more.”
The neuroscientist explained that exercise grows the prefrontal cortex, the front part of the brain which is involved in a wide range of cognitive functions, including speech formation, working memory, risk processing, personality expression and decision making.
Dementia is a general term for the impaired ability to remember, think, or make decisions that interfere with doing everyday activities, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains. Alzheimer’s is the most common dementia disorder.
Growing the prefrontal cortex improves your cognitive performance and function, in turn reducing the negative symptoms of dementia.
Walking and dementia studies
One 2022 study analyzed 78,000 healthy people aged 40-79 who wore fitness trackers 24 hours a day for at least three days and found those who walked about 9,800 steps per day were 51% less likely to develop dementia.
The participants were followed for seven years, and even those who walked just 3,800 steps per day were around 25% less likely to develop dementia, suggesting there is a link between walking and lower dementia risk.
Another study the following year analyzed 188 physically capable participants aged 65-90 without dementia and found that doing high-intensity walking in your midlife is associated with improved memory.
How to reduce dementia risk
The Alzheimers Society says doing regular physical activity is “one of the best ways” to reduce your risk of dementia and is good for your heart, circulation, weight and mental wellbeing. This should include a combination of aerobic activity and strength-building.
Other ways to reduce your dementia risk include:
- Drinking less alcohol
- Not smoking
- Staying mentally well
- Being socially active
- Managing long-term health conditions
- Protecting your hearing
- Protecting your head from injury
Dr Wendy Suzuki is a neuroscientist and professor of Neural Science and Psychology at New York University. She gained her undergraduate degree in Physiology and Human Anatomy from the University of California, Berkeley and Ph.D. in Neuroscience from U.C. San Diego.
