Aging..

 

A new study of more than 29,000 older adults has identified six habits from eating a variety of foods to regularly reading or playing cards that are linked with a lower risk of dementia and a slower rate of memory decline.

Eating a balanced diet, exercising the mind and body regularly, having regular contact with others, and not drinking or smoking these six “healthy lifestyle factors” were associated with better cognitive outcomes in older adults, in a large Chinese study conducted over a decade and published in the BMJ on Wednesday.

While researchers have long known that there is a link between dementia and factors such as social isolation and obesity, the size and scope of the new study adds substantial evidence to a global body of research that suggests a healthy lifestyle may help brains age better.