Playing GOLF can cut your risk of dementia by a third, study claims

Retirees now have the perfect excuse to spend more time on the green: Golf can reduce the risk of dementia.

A Japanese study found that men over 60 who regularly exercise at an “easy” pace, such as golf, are up to 37% less likely to develop the disease.

Experts believe that quick mental calculations when preparing the perfect shot or avoiding a bunker can help prevent cognitive decline.

Researchers also say that the social aspect of playing golf with others can help prevent dementia, in addition to the benefits of exercise.

However, no such protective effect was found for women who played more golf or engaged in other similar activities such as tennis or gardening.

Previous research has highlighted the lack of face-to-face interaction with others as a major risk factor, suggesting that factors such as social isolation increase the likelihood of dementia.

Dementia is the leading cause of death in the UK with 900,000 Britons affected by memory deprivation.

While there is no surefire way to prevent dementia, experts agree that maintaining a healthy heart through regular exercise and a healthy diet reduces the risk of this condition.

Nearly 5 million people in the United States also live with the condition that academics have spent decades and millions of pounds trying to eliminate.

Experts from the Tokyo Center for Public Health Sciences analyzed survey data collected from 43,896 Japanese seniors between 2000 and 2003.

They were an average of 61 years old at the time.

Study participants from different regions of Japan were asked to indicate their average daily activity level.

Each activity was given a score based on the energy expended while performing an activity.

For example, sitting had 1.3 energy points, and golfing had 3.

Scores were then compared with dementia diagnoses recorded between 2006 and 2016.

A total of 5,010 participants were diagnosed with the condition during this time.

The results showed no clear association between moderate to vigorous exercise and a reduced risk of dementia.

However, a deeper analysis of the same dataset showed that men who exercise a lot in their “leisure time” have a lower risk of developing the condition.

Men in the 25% wealthiest in terms of leisure time were 37% less likely to experience dementia three years after the survey.

This risk reduction persisted even after taking into account other risk factors such as smoking status, alcohol consumption, and BMI.

Nine years after the interview, the most active men were 28% less likely to be diagnosed with dementia than the less active men.

However, a similar protective effect was not observed for women in the study published in the journal Open JAMA Network †

Lead author Dr. Norie Sawada suggested that recreational activities such as golf can help older men avoid dementia, both in terms of the mental calculations needed to play and socially.

“Recreational activities that involve cognitive activity have a protective association against cognitive decline and dementia,” they said.

“Moreover, social activities associated with physical leisure activities, such as attending golf competitions and attending tennis clubs, also have a protective association against cognitive decline and dementia.”

As for why the women in the study did not have a reduced risk of dementia, Dr. Compared to men, Sawada can already derive similar benefits from their daily activities.

This, they said, includes the cognitive activity required to do housework and the likelihood that women have a wider social network than men.

NHS recommendations state that adults over the age of 65 engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week.

A single round of golf was previously calculated by the Macmillan Cancer Support charity to correspond to 240 minutes of moderate-intensity activity, with players walking an average of four to eight miles.

Exercise is an established way to help prevent dementia, as healthy heart health helps reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, both of which are potential causes of vascular dementia.