Could teen exercise pay dividends in less cognitive impairment as a senior?
Exercise has been linked to possible benefits in staving off dementia in numerous studies in the past decade, but a new look at the topic suggests the earlier the better. The prevalence of cognitive impairment was significantly lower in women aged 65 and older who reported they were physically active as teens than in those who were inactive in their teen years, the study found. “If we want to optimally prevent dementia, it’s important to start physical activity as early in life as possible,” said principal investigator Laura Middleton of the Heart and Stroke Foundation Centre for Stroke Recovery at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto. “More and more people are starting to recognize physical activity as one of the most promising means to prevent cognitive impairment and dementia. And what this study adds is that it’s not only important in mid and late life — that we really have to start as early as possible.” The study was published Wednesday and appears in the July issue of th
