Regular Exercise Reduces Dementia Risk by 60 Percent

A latest study shows that rigorous exercise can down the risk of dementia.

The study conducted over a period of 35 years found that regular exercise can tremendously reduce the risk of dementia. Following a healthy diet and low alcohol consumption can also extend one's life expectancy.

People who followed the healthy lifestyle had 60 percent reduced risk of dementia and over 70 percent lesser chances of diabetes, heart disease and stroke, compared with people who followed unhealthy lifestyles.

The Caerphilly Cohort Study researched health behavior of 2,235 men aged 45-59 in Caerphilly, South Wales, UK.

"The size of reduction in the instance of disease owing to these simple healthy steps has really amazed us and is of enormous importance in an ageing population," said Principle Investigator Professor Peter Elwood from Cardiff University's School of Medicine.

"What the research shows is that following a healthy lifestyle confers surprisingly large benefits to health - healthy behaviours have a far more beneficial effect than any medical treatment or preventative procedure," said Elwood.

"If the men had been urged to adopt just one additional healthy behaviour at the start of the study 35 years ago, and if only half of them complied, then during the ensuing 35 years there would have been a 13 per cent reduction in dementia, a 12 per cent drop in diabetes, six per cent less vascular disease and a five per cent reduction in deaths," Elwood said.

According to the research done by Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI ), nearly 135 million people are estimated to suffer from dementia by 2050.