Dementia is a syndrome that causes cognitive impairments

Adults with a daily step count of under 10,000 seem to be less likely to develop dementia. That is the finding of British researchers who examined more than 78,000 people between the ages of 40 and 79. (with an average age of 61). Today, we examine these positive scientific discoveries that were recently published in JAMA Neurology.

According to the World Health Organization, dementia is a syndrome that causes cognitive impairments that go beyond what is natural with aging. It is often chronic or progressive.

Memory, reasoning, orientation, comprehension, computation, learning capacity, language, and judgment can all be impacted by dementia. Changes in behavior, motivation, or emotional regulation may also be present.

Dementia may develop as a result of trauma or conditions of the brain like Alzheimer's or stroke. According to the World Health Organization, dementia is the seventh greatest cause of death overall and a substantial contributor to older people's incapacity and dependency.

The Alzheimer's Association estimates that 60 to 80 percent of dementia cases are caused by Alzheimer's disease. Vascular dementia results from blood artery obstruction and tiny hemorrhage in the brain. The second most typical cause of dementia is this particular dementia kind.

Some people suffer from mixed dementia or numerous forms of dementia at once. Dementia symptoms can also be brought on by a wide range of other illnesses, some of which are treatable, like thyroid issues and vitamin deficiencies.

Reduce your chances of dementia by walking

Can we reduce our risk of dementia by walking? It may be a yes. A recent study used accelerometers worn on the wrists to measure daily step count.

The U.K. Biobank cohort was monitored by the researchers from February 2013 to December 2015. They measured daily step counts and determined whether they were "incidental" (less than 40 steps per minute) or intentional (40 or more steps per minute).

The researchers also looked at the maximum 30-minute cadence (average steps per minute for the 30 highest minutes of the day, not necessarily consecutive).

view from above of city streets filled with people on foot. They have horizontal stripes that alternate between wide white and narrow black when they are in a crosswalk.

Let's move on to the outcomes. 866 individuals had dementia diagnoses after an average follow-up of 6.9 years, either shown by medical records or identified as a contributing cause of death in registry data.

The likelihood of developing dementia seems to be correlated with daily step count. 9,826 steps found to be the ideal number, which looked to reduce risk by half. 3,826 steps was the bare minimum step count (corresponding to 50% of the maximum risk reduction).

The best incidental cadence step count was 3,677 steps, to be more precise. By using this incidental cadence step number, risk was reduced by 42%. The peak 30-minute cadence ideal dosage was 112 steps per minute (two-thirds risk reduction), which is a rather brisk walk. The intentional cadence optimal step count looked to be 6,315 steps.

My opinion: Walking reduces the risk of dementia.

Despite the fact that I am aware this study is observational, I adore it (and thus does not represent high-level evidence that walking reduces dementia risk). The study adds to suggestions for avoiding dementia based on step count.

The age range of the individuals may have led to a small proportion of dementia cases. Uncertainty exists on whether the encouraging results apply to elder populations.

For many of us, step counting gadgets are readily available, allowing us to keep track of our daily step totals (without formal exercise). I enjoy that I can check my wrist to see how I am doing on any given day, even though I will still strive for 150 to 300 minutes per week of moderate to strenuous physical exercise.

In conclusion, a daily step count of just 3,800 is linked to a 25% decreased risk of dementia. On the other end of the walking spectrum, walking at 112 steps per minute for 30 minutes reduced the prevalence of dementia the most.

One more thing: The knowledge I shared in this blog is just meant for educational purposes; it is not intended to replace advice from qualified medical professionals. If you're looking for medical advice, a diagnosis, or treatment, please speak with a doctor or other healthcare provider. Risks or problems resulting from utilizing or acting on the information on this blog are not my responsibility.