Posted on 09/22/2004 10:55:54 AM PDT by truthandlife
Elderly people who take regular walks are less likely to suffer dementia than those who take little exercise, a pair of studies said on Tuesday. Keeping active has already been proven to lessen the risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Now moderate daily exercise such as long strolls has been found to keep elderly minds healthier, said the authors of studies published in this week's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
"We now have evidence that regular walking is also associated with benefits that are related to cognitive function later in life," said Robert Abbott, a biostatistician at the University of Virginia Health System.
His study tracked the habits and mental functioning of 2,257 Hawaiian Asian-American men aged 71 to 93 years and found those who walked less than one-quarter mile a day were 1.8 times as likely to develop dementia than men who walked at least two miles a day.
The second study, involving elderly women participating in the Nurses' Health Study at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital, found those who exercised regularly -- such as walking at an easy pace for 1-1/2 hours a week -- were less likely to suffer mental decline.
"What is most striking is that for older women who are able to engage in several hours per week of physical activity (for example, walking at least six hours per week), their cognitive function seemed to be comparable to that of a woman several years younger," said study author Jennifer Weuve of the Harvard School of Public Health.
More active people also tended to have a healthier lifestyle and eat a better diet than sedentary people, which could also help preserve mental acuity, Abbott said.
"There is also the possibility that people who walk are less likely to get diseases later on in life that could lead to dementia versus people who are inactive," he said.
...paging Dan Rather...paging Dan Rather...
This can't explain why my great grandfather wandered off.
"My Grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was 60. She turned 93 last week and we don't know where the hell she is."--Ellen DeGeneres
This just in:
While Long Walk Therapy has proven effective in prolonging postive mental health, certain co-therapies have severe adverse reactions, particularly Short Pier ambulatory exercise...
Hey...back off my man Jabba the Flynt! In his case, he didn't really have any choice in the matter, did he?
Whatever happened to Flynt? I guess the Dems didn't see that he was helpful.
Michael Moore is the new Flynt. After the Dems lose this election they will throw him overboard.
My MIL is 85 and walks to the grovery store every day; she has never driven a car. She was up on a ladder cleaning out her gutters over the weekend. She had a brother who died recently with Alzheimers, but she remains very sharp. My father had been physically active all his life and when he decided that he was old enough not to have to work around the house, he died within a year. There's a lot of factors involved here, but everything else being equal, I think this makes a lot of sense.
Whatever happened to Flynt? I guess the Dems didn't see that he was helpful.
ping
I went for a walk just this morning. Or did I? Hmmm, can't remember, oh well.
"Elderly people who take regular walks are less likely to suffer dementia than those who take little exercise, a pair of studies said on Tuesday. Keeping active has already been proven to lessen the risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes. "
Unless this was a longitudinal study, I don't think they can assert this.
Could it be that those clear thinking elders make it a point to be more fit so they don't become disabled physically? It's like self selecting a poll group to come up with the conclusion that you want.
My mother has Alzheimers and I keep telling her not to forget stuff. Unfortunately, she can't remember my sage advice.
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