A recent study has found that just five minutes of exercise a day can significantly reduce the risk of dementia in frail older adults by more than a third. Researchers analyzed data from almost 90,000 British adults who wore smartwatches with activity trackers and discovered that those who exercised for at least 35 minutes per week had a 41% lower risk of developing dementia after four years.
The study’s findings suggest that even minimal amounts of physical activity can be beneficial in reducing dementia risk. Higher levels of activity were linked to an even greater reduction in risk, with participants who exercised for 70-140 minutes per week experiencing a 63% decrease and those exercising more than 140 minutes per week seeing a 69% decrease.
Dementia is the most common type of this age-related disorder, affecting nearly 1.4 million people in the UK and expected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040. The condition primarily affects people over 65, causing symptoms such as forgetfulness, speech and writing difficulties, and personality changes.
Source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/02/23/five-minutes-exercise-a-day-could-reduce-dementia-risk