A study by US researchers links sedentary behaviors such as sitting for long periods of time, watching television, with increased dementia in the elderly. However, cognitively stimulating activities, such as using the computer or reading, even while sitting, have a lower risk of contracting the same disease.
Science has gathered evidence to link mental health to physical activity, especially the cognitive decline that comes with age. In that sense, also the lack of physical exercise contributes to the appearance of coronary diseasesaccording to El País.
However, the connection between a more sedentary lifestyle and dementia had not been categorically established until the study published in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (NAP).
The researchers used data from a biomedical bank, UKBiobank, to reach the more than 145,000 volunteers over the age of 60 who agreed to participate in the study, and who had no diagnosis or evidence of dementia at the start of the study. According to Neuroscience News Science Magazinethe volunteers were submitted to self-assessment questionnaires on the levels of sedentary lifestyle in the period between 2006 and 2010.
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Source: Observadora
