Cardiorespiratory fitness, measured by VO2 max, is one of the strongest modifiable predictors of dementia risk, with high-fit individuals showing 36-88% lower risk of cognitive decline compared to their unfit peers across multiple large cohort studies. This relationship demonstrates a clear dose-response pattern: each 1-MET increase in fitness translates to approximately 16% lower dementia incidence, with benefits continuing even at elite fitness levels and no observed ceiling effect.
The practical implications are substantial. A sedentary individual who improves from the lowest to the highest fitness quintile could theoretically delay dementia onset by 5 to 9.5 years, which is a magnitude of effect exceeding any pharmaceutical intervention currently available.
Read the full story: The Science of VO2 Max and Dementia Prevention