Healthnotes Newswire —Elderly women who engage in moderate amounts of physical exercise have a reduced risk of experiencing a decline in mental function, according to a study published this week in the Archives of Internal Medicine.¹

In this study, the authors questioned 5,900 healthy women over age 65 about their exercise habits. Mental function of each woman was assessed by a standardized test at the beginning of the study, and again after a period of six to eight years.

The researchers found that for every ten blocks (or approximately one mile) walked per week, a woman could reduce her risk of significant loss of mental function by 13%. The authors suggested several specific interventions that could fulfill the exercise requirement, including 18 holes of golf per week, playing tennis twice per week, or walking a mile per day.

Because of the design of the study, the authors were unable to compare the effects of moderate and more strenuous exercise. The study also did not assess the effect of exercise on mental function in men or people who have already experienced cognitive decline.

Age-related loss of mental function, otherwise known as age-related cognitive decline, affects over 10% of people older than 65 years.² No effective drug treatment for reversing cognitive decline is currently available, although some treatments may slow the progression of this condition.

Moderate amounts of exercise have been shown to have a number of other benefits in the elderly as well, reducing the risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, and certain types of cancer.