Perhaps the best way to potentially cut the chance of developing Alzheimer's is to exercise — regularly and with at least moderate intensity.
A large, long-term study presented earlier this month at the Alzheimer's Assn. International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease meeting in Honolulu found that people who perform moderate to heavy levels of exercise have a 40% lower risk of developing any type of dementia compared with people reporting the lowest level of exercise.
The study doesn't prove cause and effect, but it is noteworthy because of its size and the source of its data. The 1,200 participants, who had an average age of 76, were part of the long-running Framingham Study on cardiovascular health; their physical activity levels were recorded for at least a decade, along with the incidence of dementia.
Biological studies also support the idea that activity is good for the brain.
