Nature: Exercising on the weekend reduces risk of dementia by 26%
Exercise can protect against dementia and other diseases, according to Chinese scientists whose research was published in the journal Nature.
In their work, the scientists analyzed data on the health and lifestyle of 75 thousand elderly people, when the risk of brain diseases increases significantly. The participants in the experiment wore devices measuring physical activity for a week.
As a result, three groups emerged: inactive – they devote 150 minutes a week to physical activity, “weekend warriors” – more than 150 minutes, half of which falls on one or two days a week, and active – more than 150 minutes, distributed evenly throughout the week.
Participants were followed for about 8.5 years to see how often they were diagnosed with strokes, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, depression and anxiety disorders. Other factors that could affect health were also taken into account, including diet, smoking and co-morbidities.
It turned out that the listed problems appeared most often in inactive citizens, and least often in those who exercise on weekends. Thus, the “weekend warriors” had a 26 percent lower risk of dementia, a 21 percent lower risk of stroke, and a 40 percent lower risk of depression. Participants who regularly exercised were healthier than inactive ones, but were inferior to the second group.
Earlier, Russians told how they manage to exercise regularly. Most choose a gym near their home or work so as not to be late for training.
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