Staying Active May Delay Cognitive Decline by Years: Study Finds - Video

A new study published in the Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease has found that regular physical activity may play a crucial role in slowing cognitive decline among older adults. Researchers from the University of Georgia’s College of Public Health analyzed data from over 13,000 individuals and concluded that long-term engagement in physical activity can help preserve brain function and delay dementia onset.

The study, led by Suhang Song, an assistant professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management, used data from the Health and Retirement Study—a large, nationally representative survey that tracked adults aged 50 and older over a period of 16 years. Participants were asked how frequently they engaged in physical activity, categorized by intensity: vigorous (such as jogging), moderate (like dancing or gardening), and mild (such as housework).

“We found that longer and more frequent engagement in physical activity was associated with delayed cognitive decline,” said Song. “These protective benefits grew over the length of the study.”

Importantly, even low levels of regular activity made a difference. The study showed that increasing vigorous physical activity from a few times a month to once a week, or moderate activity from once to multiple times per week, significantly slowed the rate of cognitive decline. Rather than focusing on exercise duration, the research emphasized the consistency and frequency of activity over time.

“The improvement of the decline rate may seem modest, but it builds up over time,” Song explained. “If this slower decline continues, it could potentially delay the onset of dementia by many years, giving people more time to live independently and maintain quality of life.”

Reference: Song, S., Sung, M. H., Diaz, D., Lin, Z., Tate, A. D., Chen, Z., ... & Jin, Y. Long-term cumulative physical activity associated with less cognitive decline: Evidence from a 16-year cohort study. The journal of prevention of Alzheimer's disease, 100194.