A little movement in midlife could pay off for your brain years later
Exercise and healthy blood sugar levels in midlife may help slow cognitive decline decades later. Physical activity appeared especially beneficial for Mexican American adults, suggesting that some brain-protective factors may differ across populations.
Research from UT Health San Antonio indicates that engaging in physical activity and maintaining healthy blood sugar levels during midlife may help slow cognitive decline later in life, particularly for Hispanic adults. The study, titled "Longitudinal association between midlife cardiovascular health and cognitive change in a bi-ethnic cohort," analyzed 402 individuals from San Antonio, with 52% being Hispanic and the rest non-Hispanic white.
Mean age was 57.9, with 58.5% of participants being women. While physical activity was linked to slower cognitive decline among Hispanic participants, lower fasting blood glucose levels were associated with slower decline among non-Hispanic white participants. Improving cardiovascular health through lifestyle changes could potentially alleviate the burden of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, especially in high-risk populations.
The study, published in Alzheimer's & Dementia: Behavior & Socioeconomics of Aging, suggests that modifying risk factors for cognitive decline and dementia is increasingly recognized as crucial as the global population ages.
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