According to the Alzheimer’s Society, there are currently 900,000 people living with dementia in the UK and this is projected to rise to 1.6 million by 2040.
Now, new research from the University of Arizona has revealed that adults aged 60 and older who spend more time engaging in sedentary behaviours, such as sitting while watching TV or driving, may be at increased risk for developing dementia.
This is quite alarming when we consider that, according to the NHS, the average adult in the UK spends around nine hours sitting per day.
The link between a sedentary lifestyle and dementia
The study revealed that the way sedentary behaviour is accumulated over the course of the day doesn’t matter as much as the total time spent sedentary each day.
Gene Alexander, a professor of psychology and psychiatry at the University of Arizona, said: “We were surprised to find that the risk of dementia begins to rapidly increase after 10 hours spent sedentary each day, regardless of how the sedentary time was accumulated.
“This suggests that it is the total time spent sedentary that drove the relationship between sedentary behaviour and dementia risk. But, importantly, lower levels of sedentary behaviour, up to around 10 hours, were not associated with increased risk.”
Office workers can let out a small sigh of relief.
How to reduce dementia risk with exercise
While this study pertains to older adults, getting into the habit of moving more often can only be a good thing.
According to the Alzheimer’s Society, regular exercise can reduce the risk of developing dementia by about 28%. For Alzheimer’s disease specifically, the risk is reduced by 45%.
However, for those of us who aren’t particularly inclined to do regular exercise, Alzheimer’s Society has great news: “Physical exercise does not just mean playing a sport or running. It can also mean a daily activity such as brisk walking, cleaning or gardening.”
One study even found that daily physical tasks such as cooking and washing up can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.