Good Physical Condition reduces risk of Alzheimer's

People who are in relatively good physical shape have a lower risk of Alzheimer's and other types of dementia than less fit people according to a six year study of nearly 2,300 people over 65 in the Seattle area. Physical fitness was determied by tests of balance, grip strength, walking speed and the ability to get up from a chair repeatedly. This suggests that poor physical fitness may precede dementia and that staying fit may help prevent or delay cognitive decline. Physical and mental function are connected especially in aging, the researchers said, and when one function declines, there's an increased risk that the other will follow.

From: Berkeley Wellness Letter - August 2006