A retrospective cohort study by Korean scientists found that initiating or maintaining regular physical activity in patients with dementia reduces the risk of all-cause mortality. As reported in The British Journal of Sports Medicine, the risk of death is reduced by 25–30 percent.
Recent studies show that Alzheimer's disease is the seventh leading cause of death, and its mortality rate has increased significantly. According to population estimates, the average life expectancy after a dementia diagnosis is 4.5 years.
It is known that physical activity potentially slows the onset and progression of dementia in patients with dementia through its effects on the brain. However, the relationship between mortality risk and changes in physical activity before and after dementia diagnosis remains poorly understood.
To study this connection, a team of researchers led by Yong-Moon Mark Park of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences used data from a representative, large-scale cohort of people with dementia in South Korea. Physical activity levels were measured using the International Short Form Physical Activity Questionnaire developed by the World Health Organization. The cohort included 60,252 people with dementia (mean age 74.1 years). The main diseases leading to dementia were Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia.
A total of 16,431 people died during 3.7 years of follow-up. Survival analysis showed that the chance of survival increased in people who regularly engaged in physical activity (p < 0.001). A gradual decrease in the adjusted risk of all-cause death was observed among patients with dementia as the level of physical activity, measured as time spent on it per week, increased (for trend, p < 0.001). Overall, patients with dementia who remained physically active both before and after the diagnosis of dementia had the lowest risk of all-cause mortality after adjusting for risk factors (relative risk 0.71). However, the risk was also reduced in those who began physical activity after the diagnosis of dementia (relative risk 0.77). Moreover, a decrease in the level of physical activity after diagnosis did not significantly reduce the risk of all-cause death. Exercise intensity had a dose-dependent effect on the risk of all-cause death. According to the scientists, the results of this study demonstrate the importance of lifestyle modifications in physical activity for patients with dementia to reduce the risk of death. However, further research is needed to clarify the causal relationship between these findings. We previously reported that emailing, social media activity, and online shopping reduce the risk of dementia in older adults.
