This is an interesting one (referring to the title itself and its broad message, rather than actual details which many will never read) -- because: part of me is happy to see actual research reported, regardless of how positive/negative it is to us as humans, possibly helping to balance out a lot of the (perceived) over-reporting of "x may be the cure to y". Of course, the other part of me is sad, because it likely triggers a lot of people to make false decisions (exercise is a chore to many, including me), and it's super easy to mute that motivation-to-exercise with a quick "I read it's not as healthy as they said it was anyway, so...". Considering the context people will be reading a highly-editorialsed version of this in the form of trashy glam magazines, side-columns and Facebook shares in month's time, that is.
Except if you're in a family with a sick parent and you wonder whether you should encourage more exercise or not. Much more important than bar room banter.
I agree with that easy statement. But you have to make decisions, even when there is no science at all.
What is your estimate of the right control group size should be, for such a study?
I am learning from that study that, on 494 patients, they found no clear cut link between exercise and dementia evolution. Are you saying there is a clear cut one?
Maybe there is a link, but if it was very significant, hopefully the study would have detected a correlation.
My bottom-line for my life: don't focus on pushing physical exercise if your loved one has dementia, there is no clear cut link detected today. It is interesting as for some, their "intuition" may make them believe there is one.
Please correct which part of my reasoning is wrong here. I am talking about real life, not a conversation at a bar.
Just wanted to report back that I had a chat with my mother a few minutes ago, mentioning the article, and she'd already seen it on TV, and said she'd always felt the excercise craze is overrated (not joking). That's her conclusion, her entire summary of this news item. She'd never come across the original article.
