Making a home-cooked meal at least once a week could help slash older people’s risk of dementia by up to 30 percent, Japanese researchers said Tuesday, and up to 70 percent for new cooks.
A six-year study of nearly 11,000 men and women aged 65 and older showed that people who cooked more often saw a lowered risk of the devastating neurodegenerative diseases. Around half cooked up to five times a week.
“The risk of dementia became lower as people cooked more frequently, and the benefits of cooking were particularly significant for those with low cooking skills, i.e., little cooking experience,” the researchers said in a statement.
Although the findings are observational, they jive with current research on practices that can help slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
Cooking is both a good source of physical activity and helps to stimulate the brain.
Women and skilled chefs reap the rewards
The study also found that there were differences based on gender.
Women, who are nearly twice as likely to suffer from Alzheimer’s, had a three percent lower risk of dementia than men when cooking from scratch once a week.
And better cooks also had a lower risk of dementia than novices, although the researchers said, “cooking frequency didn’t reduce the risk of dementia further.”
Women and more experienced cooks also tended to cook more meals at home than men and those who were inexperienced cooks.
“Creating an environment where people can cook meals when they are older may be important for the prevention of dementia,” the researchers said.
The researchers used data from questionnaires that were a part of the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study, which tracked cognitive health up to 2022, assessing their cooking habits and skillset.
Of the more than 10,000 patients included in the data, 1195 people developed dementia. Cases of mild dementia were not included.
Brain boost
Exercise can strengthen the germ-fighting layer of cells known as the blood-brain barrier, which weakens with age and contributes to a heightened risk of dementia, a new mouse study published this week shows.
And countless studies have shown that tests, games and other brain-boosting activities help slow disease progression and improve the brain’s ability to function despite damage.
Previous research has shown that cooking could help Alzheimer’s patients — although it might not be right for everyone.
Cooking requires people to organize ingredients, follow a recipe, improvise, stir, chop, slice and utilize the senses.
It’s also often a social activity, which helps keep the brain active and delays Alzheimer’s onset.
And cooking can improve mental health and self-esteem, according to the Australian Alzheimer’s group Forward with Dementia.
“Cooking has a powerful meaning for older adults,” Suzanne Fitzsimmons, a nurse practitioner and former instructor in therapeutic geriatric care at the University of North Carolina Greensboro, told Brain&Life. “For some, it can be integral to feelings of self-worth and identity.”
More than 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease.
