New Study Says Women Who Are in Shape Are Less at Risk for Dementia A new study published in Neurology looked at 1,500 women in Sweden over the course of 44 years, using cognitive tests and physical activity tests to determine that women who were more active were 88 percent less likely to develop dementia. Conversely, the study found that women who were less active were 41 percent more likely to develop the memory disorder. The study cautions that higher level of activity doesn't mean exercising, meaning that the high activity level didn't necessarily correlate to being in good shape. Helena Horder, lead author and physiotherapist at the University of Gothenburg While the study is only one example, Horder says that it shows your behaviors and habits can help offset your genes and your possibility of developing dementia.