Unmarried older adults in the U.S. were less likely to develop dementia than those who were married, according to a new study of 24,000 Americans.
Why it matters: That might be welcome news for the Seattle area where nearly half of adult residents are unmarried, according to U.S. Census American Community Survey data.
State of play: The finding seems to contradict the long-held belief that marriage is associated with better cognitive health and longevity.
Context: "Widowed, divorced, and never-married older adults had a lower dementia risk, compared to their married counterparts," the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center researchers say, based on a study of adults aged 50+, who were tracked for up to 18 years.
Between the lines: Previous researchhas linked marriage to positive health outcomes, including lower risk of heart disease, longer life expectancy and, ironically, even reduced dementia risk.
