Your dementia risk is highest if you sit for longer than this each day

Australia
By William
  • The risk of developing dementia increases if you spend the day sitting
  • Experts say this risk increases the longer you sit at a desk or drive
  • READ MORE: Texas schoolgirl, SEVEN years old, diagnosed with DEMENTIA

By Xantha Leatham Deputy Science Editor of The Daily Mail

Published: | Updated:

Sitting in front of the TV or driving for more than 10 hours a day increases the risk of dementia, a study suggests.

Researchers have found that the likelihood of developing the condition increases dramatically among adults who spend most of their day sedentary.

A team from the University of Southern California and the University of Arizona analyzed data from more than 50,000 British adults aged 60 and over.

Those who spent 10 hours a day sedentary were 8 percent more likely to develop dementia. Meanwhile, those who spent 12 hours a day sitting were 63 percent more likely to be diagnosed

They wore devices on their wrist 24 hours a day for a week. These devices monitored activity levels and could distinguish between sitting and sleeping.

While watching TV or driving is a common sedentary behavior, other forms can include playing video games, using a computer, sitting while commuting, or sitting at a desk at work.

The participants were followed for approximately six years, during which time 414 individuals were diagnosed with dementia.

Analysis found that sitting for 10 hours or more per day was linked to an increased risk of the disease.

Compared to those who spent almost nine hours a day sitting, those who spent ten hours a day sitting were 8 percent more likely to develop dementia.

Meanwhile, those who spent 12 hours a day sitting were 63 percent more likely to be diagnosed, while those who spent 15 hours a day sitting were three times more likely.

Study author Professor Gene Alexander said: ‘We were surprised to find that the risk of dementia starts to increase rapidly after sitting still for ten hours every day, regardless of how the sedentary time was structured.

‘This suggests that it is the total time spent sedentary that drives the relationship between sedentary behavior and dementia risk.

‘Importantly, lower levels of sedentary behaviour, up to around 10 hours, were not associated with an increased risk.’

The research, published in the journal Jama Network Open, also revealed the way sedentary behavior builds up over the course of the day – for example, long periods of sitting followed by activity, or sitting alternated with getting up – had a similar link to dementia.

Professor David Raichlen, who also worked on the research, added: ‘Many of us are familiar with the common advice to break up long periods of sitting by getting up every 30 minutes or so to stand or to walk around.

‘We found that if you take into account the total time you spend sedentary, the length of the individual sedentary periods doesn’t really matter.’

What is dementia?

A global concern

Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a range of progressive neurological conditions (affecting the brain) that affect memory, thinking and behavior.

There are many forms of dementia, of which Alzheimer’s disease is the most common.

Some people may have a combination of different forms of dementia.

Regardless of which type is diagnosed, each person will experience dementia in their own unique way.

Dementia is a global problem, but it is most common in wealthier countries, where people are likely to live to a very old age.

How many people are affected?

The Alzheimer’s Society reports that there are currently more than 900,000 people living with dementia in the UK. This number is expected to rise to 1.6 million by 2040.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, affecting between 50 and 75 percent of those diagnosed.

There are an estimated 5.5 million people in the US with Alzheimer’s disease. A similar percentage increase is expected in the coming years.

As a person’s age increases, so does the risk that he or she will develop dementia.

The number of diagnoses is increasing, but it is believed that many people with dementia are still undiagnosed.

Is there a cure?

There is currently no medicine against dementia.

But new medications can slow its progression and the sooner it is caught, the more effective treatments can be.

Source: Alzheimer’s Association

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