Regardless of intensity, new research indicates that frequent physical activity following a dementia diagnosis may lower the chance of death by as much as 30%.
Even very little amounts of physical activity can reduce the chance of death for those with dementia by up to 30%. The importance of promoting exercise in dementia patients is highlighted by a recent study, which found that benefits occur regardless of the intensity of the activity.
According to research published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, engaging in physical activity of any intensity following a dementia diagnosis is linked to a roughly 30% lower chance of death.
Given that the typical life expectancy following a dementia diagnosis may only be four to five years, the researchers conclude that persons who are affected should be encouraged to continue or begin an exercise regimen.
Physical activity has been associated with a decreased risk of death in individuals with the condition in previously published research, however these studies have only looked at one particular moment in time. According to the researchers, it is unclear whether variations in physical activity levels before and after diagnosis could have an impact.
Study Information: Activity Levels and Participant Profiles
In order to investigate this further, they used information from the Korean National Health Insurance Service Database, which included 60,252 individuals who had received a dementia diagnosis between 2010 and 2016 and who had had physical examinations two years prior to and following their diagnosis.
Participants were 74 years old on average, and 43,276 (72%) had Alzheimer's disease and 7536 (12.5%) had vascular dementia.
The International Physical Activity Questionnaire–Short Form (IPAQ-SF) was used to measure physical activity at each check-up.
Vibrant intensity exercise was defined as running, aerobics, fast cycling, and climbing for more than 20 minutes; moderate intensity included doubles tennis, fast walking, and regular-paced cycling for more than 30 minutes; and light intensity included activities like walking for more than 30 minutes.
The definition of regular physical activity was three or more times a week for at least 20 minutes of high intensity exercise or five or more times a week for at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise.
Participants were classified as non-exercisers (78%; 47,050), quitters (just over 10%; 6212), beginners (8%; 4801), and maintainers (just over 3.5%; 2189) based on changes in regular physical activity during the two years prior to and following their diagnosis.
During the approximately 4-year monitoring period that ended in 2019, 16,431 (27%) of the study participants passed away.
Regardless of the kind of dementia, the biggest risk reduction was linked to sustained participation in regular physical exercise both before and after the diagnosis.
Additionally, a lower risk of death that depended on quantity but not intensity was linked to higher levels of physical activity following diagnosis.
Activity Type and Intensity's Effect on Survival:
Maintaining an exercise regimen was linked to a 29% lower risk of death when compared to staying idle. The risk was reduced by 30% if this was light in intensity. For moderate-intensity and vigorous-intensity activities, the risk reductions were 26% and 30%, respectively.
Additionally, starting any kind of activity after receiving a diagnosis was linked to a 20% or greater reduction in mortality risk.
When physical activity is seen as a continuous variable, the risk of death decreased by 3% for every 100 MET weekly increase in physical activity following diagnosis for all kinds of dementia. This is similar to adding five minutes of brisk walking five days a week.
The energy (calories) used per minute of physical activity, as compared to the energy used at rest, is expressed in METs.
Since this is an observational study, a cause cannot be established. Furthermore, the researchers admit that their results may have been the result of reverse causality, which holds that those who had less severe dementia and less functional restrictions were more likely to continue being physically active. There was also no information on the kind of physical exercise that participants claimed to engage in.
However, the researchers state: "Our study suggests that even at low levels, [physical activity] might significantly diminish mortality risk in individuals with dementia, building on the established protective effect of [physical activity] against all-cause mortality."
"Our study highlights the potential clinical value of encouraging individuals with dementia to keep up or begin physical activity, regardless of its intensity, after their dementia diagnosis," they conclude.
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