Leisure Activities May Lower Dementia Risk, Meta-Analysis Shows
Summary: Older adults who spend free time on intellectually stimulating pursuits — such as reading, writing, or doing crafts — have a notably lower risk of developing dementia. Regular physical activity and social engagement with family or friends were also associated with reduced dementia risk in this large meta-analysis.
Source: AAN (American Academy of Neurology); findings published in Neurology
Background: A comprehensive meta-analysis published online August 10, 2022, in Neurology reviewed global evidence linking leisure activities to dementia risk. The review examined studies that measured cognitive (mental), physical and social leisure activities and tracked dementia emergence over time.
Researchers performed a systematic review of 38 cohort studies that together included more than two million adults without dementia at baseline. Each study followed participants for at least three years and collected information about leisure pursuits through questionnaires or interviews. Leisure activities were defined as voluntary activities undertaken for enjoyment or well-being and were grouped into three broad categories: mental (intellectual) activities, physical activities, and social activities.
Across the pooled studies, about 74,700 participants developed dementia during follow-up. After statistically adjusting for key factors such as age, sex and education, the analysis found that participation in leisure activities overall was associated with a lower risk of subsequent dementia. Specifically, people who engaged in leisure activities had an estimated 17% lower risk of developing dementia compared with those who did not report participating in such activities.
Mental (intellectual) activities: This category included reading or writing for pleasure, playing games, using a computer, listening to the radio, watching television for enjoyment, playing musical instruments and making crafts. Participants who reported regular engagement in these intellectual or cognitive activities showed the largest reduction in dementia risk — about 23% lower compared with nonparticipants.
Physical activities: Walking, running, swimming, bicycling, using exercise equipment, organized sports, yoga and dancing were grouped as physical leisure activities. Those who reported taking part in physical activities experienced an approximately 17% reduced risk of developing dementia.
Social activities: Activities that involved interaction with others — such as attending classes, joining social clubs, volunteering, visiting relatives or friends, and participating in religious gatherings — were associated with a more modest but measurable benefit. Participation in social activities correlated with about a 7% lower risk of dementia.
Interpretation and practical takeaways: The findings suggest that remaining active — mentally, physically and socially — may contribute to lower risk of dementia in older adults. Importantly, many beneficial activities are easy to incorporate into everyday life: reading, learning a new skill, joining a walking group, practicing yoga, volunteering locally, or keeping in regular contact with friends and family can all count as meaningful leisure engagement.
Study author Lin Lu, Ph.D., of Peking University Sixth Hospital in Beijing, China, noted that earlier research has linked leisure activities to a range of health benefits. This meta-analysis strengthens evidence that leisure engagement can be part of a broader strategy to support brain health, though it does not prove cause and effect.
Limitations: The analysis relied on self-reported measures of activities, which are subject to recall bias and measurement differences across studies. The pooled data came from observational cohort studies, so residual confounding and differences in how activities were defined and measured may affect results. The authors recommend future research with larger samples and longer follow-up to better define which activities, frequency, and intensity most strongly relate to cognitive outcomes.
About this dementia research news
Author: Press Office
Source: AAN (American Academy of Neurology)
Contact: Press Office – AAN
Image: The image is in the public domain
Original Research: The findings appear in the journal Neurology.