Learning to Cook Could Lower Your Dementia Risk By 70%, New Study Says

Put down the delivery app—cooking may help lower dementia risk.

Reviewed by Dietitian Madeline Peck, RDN, CDN

Key Points

• Researchers found that cooking just once per week may lower your dementia risk.
• Preparing a meal is physically and mentally stimulating—both are key for healthy aging.
• The study also indicates that unskilled cooks may reap even bigger benefits from cooking.

As convenient as restaurant delivery, takeout and prepared foods may be, there’s something to be said for the simple act of cooking at home. Beyond the nutrition benefits, preparing meals involves a surprising amount of physical, mental and social ability and engagement—from planning what to eat and grocery shopping to chopping ingredients, cooking and cleaning up afterwards.

And while the various tasks associated with cooking may feel mundane—especially when we have the option to order a tasty meal straight to our doorstep—they’re exactly the kinds of everyday activities that help keep us engaged as we get older. Cooking requires decision-making, memory, coordination and movement, while grocery shopping can provide opportunities to socialize and stay physically active. Together, these small daily habits may offer benefits that extend far beyond the kitchen.

In fact, new research published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health suggests that those everyday tasks may play an important role in healthy aging. Specifically, researchers explored whether maintaining the ability and opportunity to cook meals later in life could reduce the risk of developing dementia.

How Was the Study Conducted?

To better understand the association—or lack thereof—between home cooking frequency and dementia incidence, researchers used data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES). JAGES is a large ongoing study that was established to better understand the social factors that contribute to healthy aging in Japan. For this analysis, researchers followed just over 10,000 adults ages 65 and older for approximately six years. Throughout the intervention period, researchers studied three variables: cooking frequency, cooking skills and dementia incidence.

First, participants completed questionnaires about their cooking habits—including how often they cooked as well as their cooking ability. To assess cooking frequency, researchers asked participants how often they cooked meals themselves, excluding ready-to-eat foods. Researchers also evaluated cooking skills using a scale that measured participants’ ability to perform basic cooking tasks—including peeling fruits, boiling vegetables and grilling fish. Researchers were particularly interested in whether the relationship between cooking and dementia differed based on a person’s cooking skills, which allowed them to compare outcomes among both beginner and more experienced cooks.

Next, researchers tracked new cases of dementia by linking participants to Japan’s public long-term care insurance registrywhich includes assessments of cognitive function and daily living activities.

It’s important to note that many factors besides the frequency of home cooking can influence dementia risk, so researchers also accounted for variables like age, sex, education level, income, living situation, smoking status, alcohol use and baseline cognitive function.

What Did the Study Find?

During the six-year follow up period, researchers found that participants who cooked at least once per week had a lower risk of developing dementia than those who cooked less frequently. In fact, the data suggests that the risk of dementia appeared to decrease as cooking frequency increased, suggesting a direct relationship between home cooking and brain health.

Further, after accounting for sociodemographic factors such as age, income, education and baseline health, cooking at least once per week was still associated with a significantly lower risk of dementia in both men and women. Overall, participants who cooked at least once weekly had about a 30% lower risk of developing dementia compared with individuals who cooked less than once per week.

Interestingly, the findings also suggest that cooking skill level had an influence on the observed relationship. Participants with lower cooking skills had a higher risk of developing dementia overall, but those who started cooking at least once per week experienced the greatest benefit in terms of lowered risk. Among these novice cooks with low cooking skills, cooking regularly was associated with an astounding 70% lower risk of developing dementia when compared with those who had low cooking skills and rarely cooked. On the other hand, participants with strong cooking skills already had a lower risk of dementia, and cooking more frequently did not appear to provide additional benefits.

While these findings are promising, it’s important to note that this study did have some limitations. First, dementia cases may have been underestimated because the registry used by researchers may not have captured all cases. Second, participants’ cooking skills were self-reported, which may have led to some misclassification. Additionally, while researchers adjusted for numerous factors that could influence dementia risk, it’s possible that other unaccounted-for variables contributed to the results. Finally, because this study was conducted among older adults in Japan, the findings may not directly apply to individuals in other countries with different cooking habits, diets and lifestyles.

How Does This Apply to Real Life?

The findings from this study suggest that the benefits of home cooking may extend far beyond what’s on your plate. Cooking is a comprehensive activity that combines physical activity and cognitive ability—factors that help to keep the brain engaged as we age.

Luckily, this study suggests that you don’t have to prepare elaborate meals every night to reap some of the cognitive benefits. As the findings suggest, cooking even just one time per week was associated with a lower risk of dementia, suggesting that even small changes may make a difference over time. If you’d like to spend more time cooking in the kitchen, consider some of our favorite tips:

• Start slow. You don’t have to become Julia Child overnight. Start with simple recipes that require just a handful of ingredients and can be prepared in 30 minutes or less.
• Recreate your favorite takeout meal. If you can’t live without your favorite burger, burrito bowl or stir fry, try making it yourself. Learning to make the homemade version can build confidence while still satisfying you.
• Make it social. Invite a friend, partner or family member to shop, cook or share a meal with you. Social engagement is another factor linked to healthy aging.
• Try something new. Whether it’s a new ingredient, cuisine or cooking technique, challenging yourself with unfamiliar tasks may provide additional cognitive stimulation.
• Embrace the whole experience. Rather than rushing through the process, focus on all the steps involved—from making a grocery list and shopping for ingredients to preparing, cooking and cleaning up afterwards.

Our Expert Take

The findings from this study suggest that creating opportunities for older adults to cook meals at least once per week may play a role in supporting long-term brain health and reducing the risk of developing dementia. Beyond the nutritional benefits of home cooking, the entire process of planning meals, shopping for ingredients, preparing food and cleaning up afterwards requires a combination of physical activity, cognitive engagement and social interaction—all factors that have been linked to healthy aging. And while cooking isn’t a guaranteed way to prevent cognitive decline, regularly preparing meals at home may be one simple and enjoyable habit that supports overall brain health as we age.