High Cardiovascular Fitness in Midlife Tied to Lower Dementia Risk Later

Women with a high level of cardiovascular fitness at midlife may have a reduced risk for dementia years later, a Neurology study suggests.

Nearly 200 Swedish women aged 38 to 60 underwent a cycling test that measured cardiovascular fitness based on maximal exertion capacity. They were then followed for an average of 29 years, during which 23% were diagnosed with dementia (at a mean age of 80) using objective assessments that included repeated neuropsychiatric evaluations.

Compared with women who had medium cardiovascular fitness at baseline, those with high fitness levels had an 88% lower risk for dementia during follow-up. Additionally, those with high fitness were about 11 years older when they developed dementia, relative to medium-fitness…