Alzheimer's: Daily power walks could help stave off the onset of disease, study claims

A daily power walk or bike ride in old age may cut the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, a study has claimed. Research has long shown exercise in middle age and beyond can cut the chance of dementia -- which is most commonly caused by Alzheimer's -- by up to 40 per cent. Now researchers from the University of California say the disease can be prevented if people exercise in later life as well. Exercise is thought to help stave off the disease because it improves cognitive function, keeps bodyweight low and prevents plaque forming in the arteries -- a key cause of vascular dementia. But the latest study also suggests exercise in later life can reduce inflammation in the brain, which can cause Alzheimer's to develop.