Activity in green spaces linked to lower risk of dementia

In one of the largest studies to date, researchers followed nearly 188 000 adults aged 60+ in the UK for more than a decade. The findings show that people who engaged in more outdoor physical activity had a significantly lower risk of developing dementia. The benefit was especially strong for vascular dementia – a type of dementia closely linked to the vascular system.

The study also revealed that living close to green spaces such as parks, gardens, and natural areas further amplified these benefits. Among older adults who lived near greener environments, the protective effects of outdoor activity were even stronger compared to those in less green neighbourhoods.

– Living near green spaces may encourage people to be more active outdoors, which in turn supports brain health, says Rui Wang, Associate Professor at GIH and corresponding author of the study. Our results highlight how the residential environment and lifestyle can work together to promote healthy brain aging.

Healthy aging of the brain an additional benefit

Brain imaging added another layer of evidence: participants who reported more outdoor activity had larger gray-matter volume – a part of the brain involved in a wide range of functions, such as cognition – along with fewer signs of small vessel damage. For individuals living in greener areas, outdoor activity was particularly tied to a larger hippocampus, a region of the brain essential for memory.

The findings of this study suggest that promoting outdoor activity among older adults, while ensuring neighborhoods have more access to green spaces, could be a simple yet powerful way to reduce the risk of demetia and support healthy brain aging.

More research is underway

Another study, similar to the UK study but with a Swedish cohort, is currently underway and will further examine the benefits of outdoor activity in green areas and aid our understanding of its effects on the brain.

– Designing our cities with green spaces is not only an investment in the environment, but also in the cognitive health and well-being of citizens, Rui finishes. These studies are important both for our society and us as individuals.

About the study

This study was conducted as part of the project “Exploring neighbourhood effects on aging”, supported by the Knowledge Foundation (KK-stiftelsen). The project is connected to E-PABS, a research center for physical activity, brain health, and sustainability, based at the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences (GIH). In close collaboration with industry, healthcare, and schools, the research is translated into sustainable solutions for preventing and treating psychiatric and neurological disorders – thereby improving people’s quality of life.

• Read more about the research project
• Read more about E-PABS
• Read the full scientific article on the study External link, opens in new window.