Weekly home cooking cuts dementia risk by 30 percent

Summary

A six-year study of nearly 11,000 older Japanese adults found that cooking at home just once a week reduced dementia risk by up to 30 percent, with new cooks seeing benefits up to 70 percent. The cognitive and physical stimulation from meal preparation appears to protect brain health, with women and less experienced cooks gaining the strongest protective effects.

Quick Facts

• Cooking once weekly reduced dementia risk by 30%, up to 70% for inexperienced cooks
• Study tracked 11,000 adults aged 65+ over six years in Japan
• Benefits linked to both physical activity and brain stimulation from meal preparation

Why It Matters

A simple weekly habit may help prevent or slow one of the most feared age-related diseases.