Association of Daily Intellectual Activities With Lower Risk of Incident Dementia Among Older Chinese Adults

This longitudinal observational study followed over 15,000 older adults in Hong Kong to investigate whether engaging in intellectual activities, such as reading or playing games, reduces the risk of developing dementia. Participants were free of dementia at the start and followed for six years. Results showed that those who participated in daily intellectual activities had a 29% lower risk of dementia, independent of other lifestyle and health factors. The findings suggest that intellectual engagement helps build cognitive reserve, which may protect against dementia in aging populations.

To reduce dementia risk, incorporate daily intellectual activities like reading, solving puzzles, or playing games. This study provides strong evidence that such activities are associated with cognitive benefits in older adults. However, as this is observational research, causality cannot be confirmed. Combining intellectual engagement with physical-exercise and a healthy diet is likely to maximize cognitive health benefits.