Lots of sitting may boost older adults' dementia risk
A recent study published in JAMA found that adults aged 60 and older who spend over 10 hours per day being sedentary, such as sitting, may be at an increased risk of developing dementia. The study analyzed data from over 100,000 participants in the UK Biobank and found that the risk of dementia significantly increases with the amount of sedentary time, regardless of how it is accumulated. However, lower levels of sedentary behavior up to around 10 hours per day are not associated with increased risk. The study used accelerometer data to measure physical activity and found that an average of six years of follow-up resulted in 414 cases of dementia. While the study suggests that more research is needed to establish causality, it highlights the importance of regular physical activity in mitigating the risk of developing dementia.