Vigorous daily exercise can significantly reduce the risk of dementia a 35-year study has found. Taking regular exercise non-smoking a low body weight a healthy diet and a low alcohol intake are five healthy behaviours that the long-term study identified as being integral to leading a disease-free lifestyle. People who consistently followed four or five of these behaviours experienced a 60 per cent decline in dementia and cognitive decline - with exercise being the strongest mitigating factor - as well as 70 per cent fewer instances of diabetes heart disease and stroke compared with people who followed none. The number