It’s Not Too Late to Avert Dementia After Age 60, US Study Shows

There’s good news for older Americans at high-risk of developing dementia: simple steps to stay mentally and physically active improved thinking and helped keep Alzheimer’s disease at bay. And it didn’t take long.

Lifestyle changes including exercise, a better diet, and more mental and social activity yielded significant protection within two years, according to a large clinical trial published Monday. To qualify for the study, participants had to have various risk factors for brain decline, like consuming a poor diet and not exercising regularly. Others had a gene mutation tied to Alzheimer’s disease.