“We already know that physical activity is a strong protector against dementia risk, and this should certainly be prioritised if you are trying to improve your brain health. But until now, we hadn't directly explored whether we can benefit our brain health by swapping one sedentary behaviour for another,” said study author Dr. Maddisson Mellow, Research Associate at the Alliance for Research in exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA) at the University of South Australia, in a press release.
For the study, the researchers analyzed data from 397 adults with an average age of 65 years from Adelaide and Newcastle, Australia. Data included self-reported 24-hour activity patterns in eight domains: sleep, self-care, chores, screen time, quiet time, household administration, sport/ exercise and social, as well as measures of cognitive function, blood pressure, cholesterol, and waist-hip ratio.
Ultimately, the researchers found significant links between cognition and both waist-hip ratio, and activity patterns. Although any physical activity was beneficial for waist-hip ratio, they found that some sedentary behaviors were better for cognitive function than others.
In particular, sedentary behaviors that provide mental stimulation or social engagement- like reading or talking to friends- were found to be advantageous for cognitive function. Meanwhile, activities such as watching TV or gaming produced a negative effect.
“While the 'move more, sit less' message certainly holds true for cardiometabolic and brain health, our research shows that a more nuanced approach is needed when it comes to thinking about the link between sedentary behaviours and cognitive function,” said Mellow.
Sources: Science Daily, The Journals of Gerontology
