Research published in the journal Neurology identifies cardiovascular fitness in middle age as a potential modifiable factor in the fight against dementia. The study followed 1,462 Swedish women aged 38 to 60 over a period of 44 years and concluded that those with high physical fitness had an 88% lower risk of developing dementia compared to those with medium fitness levels.
One of the most striking findings is that high fitness levels not only delayed the onset of dementia by an average of 9.5 years but also extended the time to its onset by 5 years compared to medium fitness levels. The research suggests that maintaining high cardiovascular fitness may have direct effects on the brain, improving neuronal structure and neurotransmitter synthesis.
Unlike other studies focused on general physical activity, this research concentrated on objective physical fitness, measured through a stationary bike stress test conducted on a subsample of 191 women. In fact, a higher incidence of dementia was observed in those who could not complete the test with an adequate workload, which could reflect early cardiovascular dysfunctions.
Although this is an observational study and does not establish causal relationships, its findings open new lines of research into the protective role of physical fitness on brain health. In particular, the study highlights the importance of identifying at which stages of life improving cardiovascular fitness could have the greatest impact on dementia prevention. Furthermore, the authors emphasize that preventive strategies should not focus solely on weight loss, but rather on directly promoting the improvement of cardiovascular capacity.
Adjunct Professor in Sociology at the University of Barcelona