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A sedentary lifestyle is often discouraged, as it's known to be one of the major causes of lifestyle disorders. A new study has found a link between lifestyle and risk of dementia.
Scientists in the University of Southern California and University of Arizona collected data from 49,841 older adults in the U.K. The data was collected from wearable devices worn by the participants for 24 hours a day for a week.
Who is most likely to get dementia?
In the study, it was observed that six years after using these wearable devices, 414 adults had developed dementia.
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Among them, 250 reported spending more than nine hours of their day being sedentary, while 154 spent more that ten sedentary hours. Statistically, this number was extremely significant for the researchers.
After comparing the two numbers, it was concluded that people who spent a more sedentary lifestyle have a higher risk of developing dementia. It was also deduced that if the sedentary duration is kept below 10 hours, the risk is not too significant.
Sedentary lifestyle includes working sitting on the desk for hours, lying on the couch watching TV and similar activities. People who follow such a lifestyle are more likely to get dementia. Being a couch potato is more harmful than enjoyable.
Side effects of sedentary lifestyle
David Raichlen, an author of the study and a professor at the University of Southern California, said:
“This should provide some reassurance to those of us with office jobs that involve prolonged periods of sitting, as long we limit our total daily time spent sedentary,"
Although the research was promising, the authors acknowledged that more work is required to understand the molecular mechanism of the correlation. The exact way how a sedentary lifestyle increases risk of dementia needs to be understood better.
Recent studies and future aspects
A new study published in the journal Neuron found how exercise decreases the risk of Alzheimer's disease. It proved the long debated point on the relationship between lifestyle and neurodegenerative disorders.
The study conducted recently at the Massachusetts General Hospital proved the notion that a sedentary lifestyle significantly increases risk of dementia. Even a small duration of exercise can induce the body to release a hormone known as irisin, which plays a key role in preventing these diseases.
The aforementioned study reinforced the theory and has paved the way for further research. It has to be kept in mind, though, that molecular and cellular research is required to prove this phenomenon completely, which is ongoing.
Overall, it's best to follow an active lifestyle to prevent neurodegenerative disorders and dementia. A sedentary lifestyle not only leads to dementia but also increases risk of other lifestyle disorders like type 2 diabetes.
Indranil Biswas is a nutritionist and personal trainer with a diploma in dietetics and personal training with a specialization in sports nutrition and strength training.
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