Healthcare News and Research

[Kobi]

Originally Posted by Greyson

Jul 15, 8:28 PM EDT

STUDY: LATER RETIREMENT MAY HELP PREVENT DEMENTIA

BY MARILYNN MARCHIONE
AP CHIEF MEDICAL WRITER

BOSTON (AP) -- New research boosts the "use it or lose it" theory about brainpower and staying mentally sharp. People who delay retirement have less risk of developing Alzheimer's disease or other types of dementia, a study of nearly half a million people in France found.

It's by far the largest study to look at this, and researchers say the conclusion makes sense. Working tends to keep people physically active, socially connected and mentally challenged - all things known to help prevent mental decline.

"For each additional year of work, the risk of getting dementia is reduced by 3.2 percent," said Carole Dufouil, a scientist at INSERM, the French government's health research agency.


Read more:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...07-15-20-28-50

I don't know that the researchers proved working in ones later years influences dementia related diseases. I'm not fond of studies that use records (as opposed to interviewing people) as the source of their data. There are too many unknown and unaccounted for variables.

What they have reproven (ad nauseum) is that "being physically active, socially connected and mentally challenged - all things known to help prevent mental decline."

Baby boomers are proving one doesn't have to work to stay physically active, socially connected, and mentally challenged.