Overview
- An analysis published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health tracked 10,978 Japanese adults aged 65 and over for six years to 2022 and found roughly a 30% lower dementia risk in those who cooked at least once a week.
- Older adults with low cooking skills who prepared a weekly meal showed about a 67% lower risk, pointing to gains from learning and practicing a new, multi‑step task.
- Men who cooked weekly had a 23% lower risk and women had a 27% lower risk, compared with peers who cooked less than once a week.
- Dementia cases came from Japan’s long‑term care insurance registry, which captures impairments serious enough to require support, so mild cases likely were missed.
- The authors and independent experts stressed the study is observational and urged trials plus practical supports that help older people cook safely and regularly.