​Promote brain health and reduce dementia risk by 28%!

▎WuXi AppTec content team editors Dementia is a neurodegenerative disease that seriously affects brain health
.

As the "command" of the human body, the brain directs the actions of the whole body.
If a disease occurs, it will affect more than one organ
.

As the disease progresses, people with dementia may develop a series of symptoms, such as forgetting to eat, forgetting the way home; not recognizing their friends or even their children; incontinence, wearing wet pants to go to the toilet; Behaviours such as sheets, slapping, shouting, etc.
; in the end, they can only lie on the bed dying at the mercy of others, suffering excruciating pain
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Even more worrying, dementia rates are still rising without significant progress in treatment
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The existing treatment methods can only suspend the patient's condition, and there is no way to completely cure it
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However, as scientific research progresses, scientists have discovered that there are steps we can take to reduce the risk of dementia
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A new study published in JAMA Network Open, a subsidiary of the Journal of the American Medical Association, provides a simple, easy-to-implement approach to reducing the risk of dementia
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Physical activity is associated with a lower risk of dementia, and even small amounts of low-intensity physical activity can help reduce dementia risk, the new study shows
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Image credit: 123RF Researchers from Yonsei University and other institutions in South Korea analyzed data from the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) database in South Korea
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The study included 62,286 participants, who had a mean age of 73.
2 years at the time of entry, 60.
4% were women, and were free of dementia
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The researchers collected information on the participants' weekly physical activity during leisure time (time other than performing basic life activities), including: Low-intensity physical activity: did not cause a large increase in heart rate or breathing rate, such as walking
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Moderate-intensity physical activity: increases heart rate, can still talk but breathe a little, such as brisk walking, dancing
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High-intensity physical activity: Greatly increases heart rate and breathing rate
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Examples include cycling, running, swimming, carrying heavy loads, climbing stairs, and playing tennis
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The researchers divided the participants into 4 groups based on the total energy expended by different intensities of physical activity: no physical activity group, 0 MET (metabolic equivalent) minutes/week; inactive physical activity group, 1-499 MET minutes/week physical activity Active group, 500-999 MET minutes/week of physical activity Highly active group, ≥1000 MET minutes/week
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MET (metabolic equivalent) is the ratio of energy expended during physical activity to energy expended at rest
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When consuming the same amount of energy, the higher the MET value, the greater the physical activity intensity and the shorter the time spent; the lower the MET value, the lower the physical activity intensity and the longer time required
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Taking the energy consumption of 300 MET minutes of physical activity per week as an example, 100 minutes of physical activity with a MET of 3 is required, which is equivalent to 100 minutes of walking per week; or 50 minutes of physical activity with a MET of 6, which is equivalent to running per week.
100 minutes
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Image source: 123RF statistics found that 60% of the participants had little physical activity
.

Specifically, 35.
0% of the participants belonged to the inactive group; 25.
0% belonged to the insufficiently physically active group; 24.
6% belonged to the physically active group; 15.
4% belonged to the highly physically active group
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During an average follow-up period of up to 3.
5 years, a total of 3757 (6.
0%) participants developed new types of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, and others
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After taking into account factors such as age, gender, family history, and blood pressure, the researchers found that physical activity was associated with a lower risk of dementia
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Participants in the physically inactive, physically active, and highly physically active groups had a 10%, 20%, and 28% lower overall risk of dementia, respectively, compared with participants in the inactive group; The risk of Alzheimer's disease was reduced by 4%, 18%, and 22%, respectively; the risk of vascular dementia was reduced by 16%, 15%, and 37%, respectively
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At the same time, the researchers also found that increased time spent in low-intensity physical activity was associated with a lower risk of dementia, even among participants who engaged in low-intensity physical activity
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Participants who were physically active 1-299 MET minutes/week and ≥300 MET minutes/week had a 10% and 14% lower risk of dementia, respectively, compared to sedentary (0 MET minutes/week) participants, respectively
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Image credit: 123RF As this is an observational study, it only shows an association between physical activity and a reduced risk of dementia, not cause and effect
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And there are some limitations to the study, such as some data that relied on participant recall, which may also have had an impact on the findings
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However, the findings suggest that increased physical activity, including low-intensity physical activity, is associated with a reduced risk of dementia in older adults, the researchers noted
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Many older adults with underlying medical conditions or frailty are unable to engage in high- or moderate-intensity physical activity, and the findings of this study provide them with a simple, actionable way to reduce their risk of dementia by engaging in low-intensity physical activity.
Intensity of physical activity
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The World Health Organization also recommends that adults with normal cognitive ability should increase physical activity to promote brain health and reduce the risk of cognitive decline
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According to the World Health Organization's guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behavior, for adults 18-64 years old: 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week is recommended, including all physical activity; or at least 75-100 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week High-intensity physical activity; or an equivalent combination of moderate-intensity physical activity and high-intensity physical activity; for those who cannot reach the target temporarily, it is recommended to gradually increase the frequency, intensity and duration of exercise
.

Older adults (65+) should engage in moderate-intensity or higher-intensity physical activity at least 3 days per week, with a focus on functional balance and strength training to enhance physical function and prevent falls
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Image source: 123RF Several studies have now found that physical activity promotes brain health and reduces the risk of cognitive decline and dementia in a number of ways
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Studies have found that physical activity prevents the loss of brain volume and the shrinking of specific brain regions associated with memory
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In general, loss of brain volume leads to reduced cognitive function.
At the same time, regular physical activity can induce neuronal development through serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which protects memory in the long term
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Physical activity helps enhance vascular health and function in the brain
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Physical activity increases the growth of new blood vessels in areas of the brain where neurons are developing, thereby increasing blood supply and supporting new neuron development
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Physical activity also protects against high blood pressure, a risk factor for the development and progression of dementia
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Studies have also shown that physical activity modulates and activates microglia, making them function more efficiently against neuroinflammatory changes that impair brain function
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Microglia are a type of innate immune cell in the brain, and their main function is to constantly check the brain for potential threats from microbes, dead or damaged cells, and to clean up any damage they find
.

With age, normal immune function declines and chronic, low-level inflammation occurs in body organs, including the brain, increasing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases
.

If microglia function better, it could help reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases
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Image credit: 123RF Meanwhile, more research has found that increased physical activity not only helps reduce dementia risk, but also improves overall health, reduces the risk of many non-communicable diseases, and prevents premature death
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All in all, numerous studies show that increasing physical activity is part of a healthy life>
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Therefore, in our daily life, we need to consciously make time for physical activity in order to promote overall health
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It is recommended to read that they are the "two killers" of brain health.
Drinking two kinds of beverages in life may play a preventive role.
A good habit that is beneficial to brain health should be done at least twice a day! The American Heart Association recommends a diet that promotes brain health.
How to eat it? An article about the authoritative release of the American Heart Association To maintain brain health and reduce the risk of dementia, you should pay attention to these 13 risk factors.
A bad habit that damages the brain, you may repeat it every day! Reference [1] Minjae Yoon, et al.
, (2021).
Association of Physical Activity Level With Risk of Dementia in a Nationwide Cohort in Korea.
JAMA Netw Open, DOI: 10.
1001/jamanetworkopen.
2021.
38526.
[2] Peter T Katzmarzyk , et al.
, (2021).
Physical inactivity and non-communicable disease burden in low-income, middle-income and high-income countries.
British Journal of Sports Medicine, DOI: http://dx.
doi.
org/10.
1136 /bjsports-2020-103640.
[3] Fiona C Bull, et al.
, (2020).
World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour.
Br J Sports Med, DOI: 10.
1136/bjsports-2020-102955[4 ] Chun Li, et al.
, (2020).
Preplanned Studies: Leisure-Time Physical Activity Among Chinese Adults — China, 2015.

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This article is for information exchange purposes only, and the views expressed in this article do not represent WuXi AppTec's position, nor do they represent WuXi AppTec's support or opposition to the views expressed in this article
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This article is also not a treatment plan recommendation
.

For guidance on treatment options, please visit a regular hospital
.