Want to have a clear mind and healthy body as you age? Start walking and keep walking! Two studies in the Sept. 22, 2004 issue of "Journal of the American Medical Association" have added to evidence that walking and other physical activity keeps your brain functioning better as you age and may reduce the risks of dementia.
Older Women Walkers Think Better
The Nurses' Health Study interviewed 18766 US women aged 70 to 81 years. They found that those who walked at least 1.5 miles a week had the least thinking impairment. The study has been following the health and physical activity of these women since 1986, and tested their thinking abilities over the years. Women who were more physically active had significantly less decline in their thinking abilities as they age.
Walking Reduces Dementia Risk in Men
The Honolulu-Asia Aging Study interviewed 2,257 men between 71 and 93 years old. Men who walked two miles per day had half of the risk of dementia as those who walked less than a quarter mile per day.How Does Walking Help
There are many possible ways that walking helps maintain thinking functions. First, it reduces the risk of other diseases and conditions that can affect blood flow to the brain, such as heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. Second, exercise increases blood flow to the brain while decreasing blood pressure. Walking may also help stimulate your brain functions in seeing new sights, chatting with fellow walkers, and just getting out of the house. For everyone, daily walking is the best prescription for health as you age.
Source: Jennifer Weuve, ScD; Jae Hee Kang, ScD; JoAnn E. Manson, MD; Monique M. B. Breteler, MD; James H. Ware, PhD; Francine Grodstein, ScD. "Physical Activity, Including Walking, and Cognitive Function in Older Women." JAMA 2004;292:1454-1461.
Robert D. Abbott, PhD; Lon R. White, MD; G. Webster Ross, MD; Kamal H. Masaki, MD; J. David Curb, MD; Helen Petrovitch, MD. "Walking and Dementia in Physically Capable Elderly Men." JAMA. 2004;292:1447-1453.
