An individual who kept active by doing day to day physical activity were said to have a lower risk of Alzheimer’s, according to experts.
Researchers asked 716 volunteers with an average age of 82 to wear a device that monitors day to day activity.
After around three years of observation, 71 of the volunteers developed Alzheimer’s disease.
The research showed that the least active were more than twice as likely to develop the disease as those who were most active.
Dr. Aron Buchman, from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, said: ‘The results of our study indicate that all physical activities including exercise as well as other activities such as cooking, washing the dishes, and cleaning are associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
‘These results provide support for efforts to encourage all types of physical activity even in very old adults who might not be able to participate in formal exercise, but can still benefit from a more active lifestyle.’
Dr. Simon Ridley, head of research at the charity Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: ‘There is already some evidence that exercise in mid-life can help to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s.
‘One of the strengths of this study is that physical activity was measured using a small monitoring device, rather than relying on self-reported questionnaires which can often be unreliable.
Dr. Anne Corbett, research manager at the Alzheimer’s Society, said: ‘It is well established that regular physical exercise is an important way to reduce your risk of developing dementia.
‘One in three people over 65 will die with dementia, but as this shows, there are things you can do to help reduce your risk.’
