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Further Information about the Link Between Physical and Mental Health
> 10/11/2005 9:25:19 AM

A new report published by the Karolinska Institute of Swedenhas strengthened the previously held belief that increased physicalhealth can have a positive impact on mental health, specifically laterin life. The New York Times reportsthat the study, conducted from 1972 through 1998, found that thoseparticipants who exercised regularly as adults were 50 percent lesslikely to develop dementia and 60 percent less likely to developAlzheimer's. Mental health professionals have long known about alink between exercise and mental health problems such as stress,anxiety and depression, but this is the first hard evidence of thepositive benefits of exercise and dementia.
Following on the heelsof World Mental Health Day, where this year the bond between physicaland mental health was a particularly strong focus, this news that ahealthy lifestyle can indeed be protective from deteriorating mentalhealth in old age serves as especially strong reminder of the benefitsof regular exercise and healthy dieting.

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