Keep Walking to Stave Off Dementia

Want to cut your dementia risk? Then lace up your walking shoes! According to a new study out of the University of Pittsburgh, walking at least six miles a week helps to protect brain size and, in turn, preserve memory.

Our brains begin to shrink in late adulthood, which can cause trouble with memory. Walking has been found to increase the volume of the brain's gray matter, which is associated with fewer memory problems.

During the study, 299 dementia-free participants recorded the number of blocks they walked in a week. People who walked at least 72 blocks a week - or roughly six miles - were found to have more gray matter nine years later than people who didn't walk as much. The participants who walked the most during the study cut their risk of memory problems in half. However, walking more than six miles didn't appear to increase gray matter volume any further.

The study was published in the October 13 online version of the journal Neurology and was supported by the National Institute on Aging. To learn more, click here.