Good cardiorespiratory fitness may even reduce a genetic predisposition to dementia, according to a new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine
A new study shows that high cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is associated with better cognitive function, a lower risk of dementia and even a reduced genetic risk by up to 35%.
The findings, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, analyzed data from UK Biobank, a large biomedical database. The study followed 61,214 UK residents aged 37 to 73 who were initially free of dementia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and heart failure. Participants provided lifestyle and sociodemographic information, medical history, and blood samples. They were monitored for 12 years.
as studyParticipants were invited to complete a six-minute submaximal exercise test on a stationary bike while wearing an electrocardiogram monitor.
Ultimately, the researchers found that high CRF led to better cognitive function compared to low CRF. During the follow-up period, 553 people developed dementia. The incidence rate of all dementias in people with high CRF was 0.60%, and the onset time of all dementias in people with high CRF was delayed by 1.48 years.
“Our findings suggest that maintaining good CRF may be a strategy to prevent dementia, even in people with a high genetic predisposition,” the authors wrote.
Although the study’s authors note that future research on the relationship between CRF and brain health, especially in older adults, warrants further investigation, they believe that CRF may be used as a routine health monitoring tool or as an indicator of health status.
The authors also cited studies showing that aerobic training, resistance training, and combination training all have beneficial effects on CRF in older adults, with HIIT having the most significant effect. Furthermore, long-term moderate-intensity physical activity is as effective as a structured exercise program in previously sedentary healthy adults.
