Experts said that ‘cardiorespiratory fitness’ could be used as a predictor for thinking and memory problems in older age.

People who are at risk of being diagnosed dementia can potentially reduce their odds of developing the condition by more than a third if they are fit and healthy, a new study suggests.

Having high “cardiorespiratory fitness” (CRF) – which can be achieved through exercise – has been linked to a 35% reduced risk among those deemed to be at risk of dementia, researchers found.

Experts said that “enhancing CRF could be a strategy for the prevention of dementia” after making the discovery.

The researchers suggest that people who were in the “medium” risk group who had a better cardiorespiratory fitness may be able to decrease their risk of developing dementia by 35%.

The new study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, saw academics analyse data on more than 60,000 people taking part in the UK Biobank study.

At the start of the study, people were given a number of tests, including a fitness test to assess their CRF, measured after a stint on an exercise bike.

The researchers note that CRF refers to “the capacity of the circulatory and respiratory systems to supply oxygen to skeletal muscle mitochondria in order to meet the energy demands of........

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