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A new clinical trial suggests that certain healthy habits can help stave off mental decline in adults as they age
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The study analyzed the impact of two different two-year lifestyle interventions on over 2,000 older adults at a heightened risk of cognitive decline
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According to national data cited by researchers, up to 35% of older adults do not meet physical activity guidelines, while 81% have “suboptimal diets”
A new study offers more solid evidence that certain healthy behaviors can help stave off mental decline in adults.
Habits like improving diet, increasing exercise, monitoring cardiovascular health and experiencing cognitive challenges and social stimulation showed proven benefits in older adults.
A clinical trial published on Monday, July 28, by JAMA Network studied the impact of two different two-year lifestyle interventions on 2,111 older adults who had a heightened risk of cognitive decline due to a sedentary lifestyle and poor diet, as well as “at least two additional criteria” linked to their family history of memory issues, higher cardiometabolic risk, race and ethnicity, age and sex.
Those randomly assigned to a more structured lifestyle intervention attended 38 peer team meetings over the span of two years, and participated in aerobic, resistance and flexibility workouts.
They also received guidelines about eating a healthy Mediterranean diet, completed online cognitive trainings and received specific health coaching from a medical advisor every six months about any abnormal laboratory results. Additionally, they were given monthly rebates of up to $10 for buying blueberries.
Meanwhile, those in the self-guided lifestyle intervention group received more general encouragement about exercise, eating well and cognitive and social stimulation “without goal-directed coaching” during six peer team meetings throughout the two years, and were given $75 gift cards to support healthy behavioral changes.
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Researchers conducted cognitive assessments of the participants during clinic visits at baseline and every six months for two years.
“Both interventions promoted increased physical and cognitive activity, healthy diet, social engagement, and cardiovascular monitoring but differed in structure, intensity, and accountability,” the study’s authors wrote.
While researchers found both groups showed cognitive improvement throughout the study, those who participated in the structured intervention “yielded greater benefit” than the self-guided group, they noted.
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“Among older adults at risk of cognitive decline and dementia, a structured, higher-intensity intervention had a statistically significant greater benefit on global cognition compared with an unstructured, self-guided intervention,” the authors added.
The findings suggest a large number of people nationwide could benefit long-term by implementing the health changes analyzed in the trial.
Its authors note, “National data indicate that up to 35% of older adults do not meet physical activity guidelines, 81% consume suboptimal diets, and nearly 55% meet criteria for metabolic syndrome.”
Read the original article on People
