According to a study by the Norwegian National Centre of Ageing and Health, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health and the Butler Columbia Aging Center, people working in physically-engaging jobs for long durations can be at a higher risk of dementia.
Consistently doing jobs that require physical activity can cause cognitive impairment in the long run.
New Delhi: Inactivity is not just associated with obesity and lifestyle disorders, now it seems that sedentary lifestyle as such can also be associated with a heightened risk of cognitive decline and dementia. But one might think that this may not be relevant for working professionals citing the extent of mental pressure. Contrary to popular belief, studies and research suggest that there are some jobs which increase the risk of developing dementia.
According to a study by the Norwegian National Centre of Ageing and Health, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health and the Butler Columbia Aging Center, people working in physically-engaging jobs for long durations can be at a higher risk of dementia. The five physically demanding jobs that can contribute to the mental health disorder are:
- Nursing assistants
- Care assistants
- Salespeople
- Animal producers
- Crop farmers
Consistently doing jobs that require physical activity can cause cognitive impairment in the long run. These jobs are described as roles that require constant use of legs, arms, and involve a full body movement such as walking, lifting, balancing, climbing and handling material. Additionally, the research suggested that spending over 10 hours a day sitting can rapidly increase dementia risk.
The results were ascertained basis the world’s largest population-based studies of dementia, the HUNT4 70+ and it analysed how occupational physical activity in people aged 33 to 65 years was linked to mild cognitive impairment and dementia after turning 70.
For this, data of 7005 participants was evaluated and 902 of them developed dementia later in life. 2407 people had mild cognitive impairment. And further, it was noted that people in physically-demanding jobs had a 15.5 per cent higher risk of dementia or cognitive impairment. But this declined in people with jobs that were not as demanding.
How do physically-demanding jobs increase dementia risk?
Expert say that there are many plausible explanations for the same. It could either be poor memory performance or a smaller hippocampal volume. Additionally, high occupational hazards could also take a toll on cognitive function and brain health in old age. As a result, brain function may suffer. And lack of time to recover from the physical wear and tear could further do more harm.
