New Delhi

Just five minutes of exercise, that is moderate to vigorous, daily can help the elderly stave off the risk of dementia, according to a study.

Researchers from the Johns Hopkins University in the US showed that engaging in as little as 35 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week, compared to zero minutes per week, can lower the risk of developing dementia by 41 per cent.

Notably, the study published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association showed the benefits of exercise even among frail older adults -- those at elevated risk of adverse health outcomes. The team reported greater activity was associated with lower dementia risks.

“Our findings suggest that increasing physical activity, even as little as five minutes per day, can reduce dementia risk in older adults,” said lead author Amal Wanigatunga, Assistant Professor in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School’s Department of Epidemiology.

“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 added.

The study, based on a dataset covering nearly 90,000 adults, aged 50 and above in the UK, showed that dementia risks were 60 per cent lower in participants in the 35 to 69.9 minutes of physical activity per week category.

People engaging in exercise from 70 to 139.9 minutes per week had a 63 per cent lower risk; while those in the 140 and over minutes per week category had a 69 per cent lower risk. Dementia, usually from Alzheimer’s disease, is one of the most common conditions affecting millions of older adults worldwide.

While age is a significant risk factor for dementia, studies in recent years have suggested that the condition is somewhat preventable, within a normal lifespan, by lifestyle changes that include better control of cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar, and being more active.

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The minimum amount of activity needed to reduce dementia risk meaningfully isn’t yet clear. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, an average of 20 minutes per day.