New Delhi: Walking up to 5,000 steps everyday may help delay cognitive decline by three years on average while 7,500 steps daily may d elay it by seven years, a study in around 300 individuals has found.

Sedentary individuals were seen to have a significantly faster buildup of tau proteins in the brain -- contributes to neuron death and is considered a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease -- and more rapid declines in cognition and daily functioning.

"Lifestyle factors appear to impact the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease , suggesting that lifestyle changes may slow the emergence of cognitive symptoms if we act early," senior author Jasmeer Chhatwal from the Mass General Brigham, a US-based health care system, said.

"(The study) sheds light on why some people who appear to be on

See Full Page