Reading, Puzzles, and Mentally Active Sitting Linked to Dementia Risk

According to Alzheimer’s Disease International, in 2020, more than 55 million people globally were living with dementia — a group of cognitive disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease , that negatively impact a person’s memory and thinking skills. Previous research has shown that making certain unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as living a sedentary lifestyle , may increase a person’s risk for dementia.

Now, a new study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine says that not all sedentary activities are the same, and mentally active sedentary behaviors — such as reading a book, solving a crossword puzzle , or participating in a school classroom — may actually help reduce a person’s dementia risk. For this study, researchers analyzed health data from more than 20,000 adult participants between the ages of 35 and 64 years in the Swedish National March Cohort.

Participants’ active and passive sedentary activities were monitored via questionnaires.