Please Stand Up: Does sitting for more than 10 hours increase risk of dementia?

Dementia is a global concern. The number of people living with dementia is rising and there is no cure for the condition. So far, we have numerous research that investigated how certain types of sedentary behaviour increased the risk of the illness more than others. Backing the claim is the latest research that suggests spending more than 10 hours a day sitting down in front of the television or driving increases the risk of dementia. Adults who spend most of their day sitting have a significantly higher risk of getting the illness, according to research. Let’s take a closer look. Also read: Mind Matters: How air pollution increases the risk of dementia The more sitting time, the increased risk of dementia Data on more than 50,000 British individuals aged 60 and over were examined by a team from the Universities of Southern California and Arizona. Over the course of a week, they wore gadgets on their wrists continuously, which tracked activity levels and could tell the difference between lying down and sleeping. Other sedentary activities include playing video games, using a computer, sitting while commuting, or sitting at a desk at work. Watching TV and driving are two examples of popular sedentary activities. Following the participants for about six years, 414 of them had dementia diagnoses. The study found a correlation between the condition and sitting for 10 hours or more every day. Those who were inactive for 10 hours a day had an eight per cent higher risk of dementia than those who were sedentary for closer to nine hours a day. In contrast, those who sat down for 12 hours a day had a 63 per cent higher chance of being diagnosed, and those who sat down for 15 hours a day had a three times higher chance. Study author Professor Gene Alexander said, “We were surprised to find that the risk of dementia begins to rapidly increase after 10 hours spent sedentary each day, regardless of how the sedentary time was accumulated.” “This suggests that it is the total time spent sedentary that drove the relationship between sedentary behaviour and dementia risk. Importantly lower levels of sedentary behaviour, up to around 10 hours, were not associated with increased risk.” The study, which was published in the journal Jama Network Open, also found a connection between dementia and the amount of time spent sitting throughout the day, such as extended stretches followed by periods of movement or sitting down followed by short periods of standing. The study’s co-author, Professor David Raichlen, added, “Many of us are familiar with the common advice to break up long periods of sitting by getting up every 30 minutes or so to stand or walk around. We found that once you take into account the total time spent sedentary, the length of individual sedentary periods didn’t really matter.” The study expands on their earlier work, which looked at how different types of sedentary behaviour—like sitting and watching TV—affect dementia risk in different ways based on self-reported health data. According to the researchers, more study is required to determine causality and whether physical activity can lessen the incidence of dementia. Also read: How a man afflicted with polio has survived in an iron lung for 70 years About dementia Dementia is not a single disease but is an umbrella term to cover a variety of degenerative neurological illnesses, those affecting the brain, that have an effect on memory, thinking and behaviour. Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia. Multiple dementias may coexist in certain individuals. Every individual will suffer dementia in a different way, regardless of the form that is diagnosed. The prevalence of dementia is a global concern, although it is more prevalent in developed nations because people are more likely to survive to very old ages. Also read: Explained: Can nose-picking raise risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s? It is on the rise A nationwide study conducted by researchers from the University of Southern California and AIIMS-Delhi, in collaboration with 18 other institutes, including Mumbai’s JJ Hospital, to determine the prevalence of dementia has discovered that the condition in India affects 7.4 per cent of seniors, doubling earlier than planned, despite earlier predictions of a rise by 2030. According to the Alzheimer’s Society, there are currently over 900,000 dementia sufferers in the UK. By 2040, it is expected to reach 1.6 million. There are thought to be 5.5 million Alzheimer’s patients in the US. In the upcoming years, a similar percentage increase is anticipated. A person’s likelihood of having dementia rises with age. Although the rates of diagnosis are rising, many dementia sufferers are still believed to be undetected. Although there is no cure currently, the earlier it is detected, the more successful therapies can be, as new medications can halt its progression. Also read: Can children have dementia? What’s the Type 2 Battens disease diagnosed in US children? With inputs from agencies