The key to preventing memory loss in your 60s? Looking after grandchildren, study suggests

Taking care of grandchildren could ward off memory loss in older age, scientists have found.

Joining sports clubs, volunteering and training in a new skill also keeps the mind sharp - but attending church or political groups makes little difference.

The Chinese researchers behind the study found that regularly taking part in at least three beneficial activities has the strongest impact on cognitive function - and women aged over 60 stand to benefit the most.

Experts examined data from a five national surveys across 24 countries, including England, the US, Mexico and China.

The analysis included 57,793 people ranging from 57 to 73, who were tracked for an average of six years.

They were asked aout the type of activities they took part in, with cognitive performance assessed using memory tests and tasks to measure planning, organising and multitasking skills.

They were then given a total score to indicate levels of cognitive performance.

The researchers, from Shandong University, found that those who took part in social activities had significantly higher scores than those who did not.

Volunteering and being a member of a sports club were linked to a lower risk of cognitive decline across all five surveys, while attending training courses and looking after children were linked to higher cognitive scores year-on-year.

However, being involved in political, community, church or religious groups was not consistently linked with boosting cognitive abilities.

Further analysis found that the effect was more pronounced in those with higher levels of education, people who lived alone, lived in rural areas, did not suffer from depression, were of a normal weight, and those who smoke and drank alcohol.

Writing in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, the researchers said their findings support the ‘use it or lose it’ hypothesis which poses that activities that stimulate the brain both strengthen connections between brain cells and build new ones - preserving cognitive function. 

They added that the results prove the importance of social engagement as a 'potentially modifiable factor' for preventing cognitive decline. 

Almost one million people in the UK are living with dementia, with the total forecast to reach 1.4 million by 2040. 

Meanwhile studies suggest that around 10-20 per cent of adults aged 65 and over have mild cognitive impairment - problems with thinking and memory that are not severe enough for a dementia diagnosis.

However about one third of people with mild cognitive impairment develop dementia within five years

The new findings follow a landmark 2024 Lancet report that found nearly half of all dementia cases could be avoided by adopting a healthier lifestyle and addressing common health conditions such as high blood pressure.