Staying active in later life could protect against dementia, as frail older people more than triple their risk of the disease.
Frail people struggle to do simple tasks such as walking 100 yards, putting on their shoes or getting out of bed.
A study has found people classed as frail in middle and old age are 3.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia a decade later.
This may come from insulin resistance, which makes people frail by speeding up the natural loss of muscle mass which happens in older age.
People with muscle weakness are more likely to have high blood sugar levels, caused by their resistance to insulin, which is also a cause of dementia.
Frail people also suffer from inflammation, which is a reaction of the immune system believed to lead to the brain changes seen in dementia.
