Researchers from the University of Michigan, University of Cambridge and the Peninsula Medical School recently compared 8,299 Americans 65+ with 5,276 British seniors and found that the American group had significantly better “brain health.” The American “brain health” advantage was found to be even more pronounced as people aged. Specifically, differences amongst those over the age of 85 were most pronounced in the American’s favor.
The study also found that adults in the U.S. reported significantly less depressive symptoms than their English counterparts. The researchers say that this may account for some of the “brain health” differences because depression is linked with worse cognitive function. Adults in the U.S. were also found to have a higher likelihood of hypertension.
At Engage As You Age we wonder what, if any, were the differences in social engagement amongst the British and American groups. Many studies have found medical benefits to being socially engaged as you age. Perhaps we should extend our service area to cover overseas and see if we can help England catch-up to America!
Click here to learn more about Engage As You Age. Click here for more details on this study.
