Shall we dance?

Nutrition Action Healthletter, June, 2004

Dancing at least several times a week may help lower the risk of dementia, says a study that tracked more than 450 people aged 75 and older for five years. Those who read or played board games or musical instruments that frequently, rather than once a week or less, also had a lower risk.

What to do: It's possible that people who don't dance, read, etc., have a greater risk of dementia because they already are in the early stages of the disease. However, this study suggests that keeping your mind active protects your brain more than keeping your body active. Dancing may do both.

New Engl. J. Med. 348: 2508, 2003.