A study published in the February 5 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine and using data from the Cooper Clinic Longitudinal Study at the Cooper INstitute (Dallas, TX), included 19,458 individuals who underwent standardized fitness testing in midlife (49.8 years), and in contrast to other studies using self-reported data, and who were then followed for an average of 25 years. Dementia was assessed from Medicare claims data. Participants with the highest level of fitness at midlife had a 36% reduction in risk of developing dementia from any cause during follow-up compared to those in the lowest fitness category. The authors commented that changes in the brain can occur up to 20 years prior to the onset of dementia, so the long follow-up in this study is important. They also pointed out that even if you're over 49, it is never too late to start a fitness program and decrease your odds of dementia.
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