Re: Physical activity, cognitive decline, and risk of dementia: 28 year follow-up of Whitehall II cohort study
If we are to be honest, we would probably agree that confirmation bias is a universal human failing, even amongst skeptics like myself. So I was delighted by the conclusions of the article by Sabia et al.[1]
I have eschewed exercise most of my 81 years, following the dictum attributed to Oscar Wilde, “When I think of exercise, I lie down until the thought goes away”.
I promptly conveyed the substance of the article to a friend whose husband, much younger than I, is now severely demented. Her comment was that he had, indeed, exercised almost every morning, but had, with the onset of his dementia, reduced, and finally ceased, his exercise.
I have previously contributed my self-exculpatory thoughts [2] – to the chagrin of many BMJ rapid responders. Forgive me then, my schadenfreude on reading Sabia’s conclusions.
I consider myself simply lucky to have inherited the appropriate genes – parents living to 87 and 93 with no sign of dementia.
Rapid Response:
Re: Physical activity, cognitive decline, and risk of dementia: 28 year follow-up of Whitehall II cohort study
If we are to be honest, we would probably agree that confirmation bias is a universal human failing, even amongst skeptics like myself. So I was delighted by the conclusions of the article by Sabia et al.[1]
I have eschewed exercise most of my 81 years, following the dictum attributed to Oscar Wilde, “When I think of exercise, I lie down until the thought goes away”.
I promptly conveyed the substance of the article to a friend whose husband, much younger than I, is now severely demented. Her comment was that he had, indeed, exercised almost every morning, but had, with the onset of his dementia, reduced, and finally ceased, his exercise.
I have previously contributed my self-exculpatory thoughts [2] – to the chagrin of many BMJ rapid responders. Forgive me then, my schadenfreude on reading Sabia’s conclusions.
I consider myself simply lucky to have inherited the appropriate genes – parents living to 87 and 93 with no sign of dementia.
1. BMJ 2017;357:j2709 http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.j2709
2. Why running is not for people. BMJ 2003;327:1476
Competing interests: No competing interests