Brain & Nervous System Alzheimer's Prevention Increase Physical Activity to Reduce Dementia Risk Research shows dance, gardening, and more can help By Esther Heerema, MSW facebook twitter linkedin Esther Heerema, MSW, shares practical tips gained from working with hundreds of people whose lives are touched by Alzheimer's disease and other kinds of dementia. Learn about our editorial process Esther Heerema, MSW Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Shaheen Lakhan, MD, PhD on February 01, 2020 linkedin Shaheen Lakhan, MD, PhD, is an award-winning, board-certified physician-scientist and clinical development specialist. Learn about our Medical Review Board Shaheen Lakhan, MD, PhD on February 01, 2020 Print We've long known that one of the ways to reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer's and other types of dementia is to choose a healthy lifestyle. This includes eating brain-healthy foods and regular physical exercise. But a study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease in March 2016 found that almost any kind of physical activity — not just high-level aerobics or weight resistance exercises — reduced the risk of dementia. This is important because, as the study's authors point out, "approximately 13 percent of AD cases worldwide may be attributable to sedentary behavior." Hero Images / Getty Images This Study The research looked at 876 participants with an average age of 78 who have been involved in the Cardiovascular Health Study, an ongoing research project that was begun in 1989. Over the years of the study, participants had magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs) of their brains, they tracked their physical activity and underwent repeated cognitive testing. The different kinds of physical activity tracked were measured in calories burned and included: swimming hiking aerobics jogging tennis racquetball walking gardening mowing raking golfing bicycling dancing calisthenics riding an exercise cycle After the data was collected, researchers looked at what — if any — correlations were found between physical activity, brain volume, and cognitive functioning. The Results Several conclusions were reached based on the results of the study. 1) Greater levels of physical activity in the two weeks prior to an MRI were associated with an increase in the brain's gray matter volume on MRIs. This includes the hippocampus, which has been strongly associated with memory. Atrophy (shrinkage) in the brain has been connected with a decline in cognitive functioning, while other research has found that the reverse is also true. 2) Brain volume also increased for those participants who had mild cognitive impairment (MCI). MCI increases the chances of progressing to Alzheimer's disease, although not everyone with MCI will progress to dementia. 3) Participants in this study who experienced an increase in brain volume also decreased their risk of developing Alzheimer's disease by 50 percent. This means that their risk of dementia was cut in half. In a Nutshell? Keep moving. This research, along with other studies, demonstrates that almost any physical activity — not just the kind you go to the gym for — can help keep your body and your brain more healthy. While there's no guarantee for completely preventing Alzheimer's and other types of dementia, staying active reduces the risk. And, since we don't yet have a cure or effective treatment, risk reduction is of utmost importance. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! When it comes to Alzheimer's, the MIND diet has shown promise in reducing risk and promoting brain health. Sign up for our Alzheimer’s and Dementia Newsletter and get your free recipe guide today. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. March 11, 2016. Longitudinal Relationships Between Caloric Expenditure and Gray Matter in the Cardiovascular Health Study. Combined UCLA and University of Pittsburgh Study Links Increased Brain Volumes with Improved Memory Health. Raji, Cyrus. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. Longitudinal Relationships between Caloric Expenditure and Gray Matter in the Cardiovascular Health Study.