The Aporia · Having grandchildren and being part of sports clubs are better for your brain than going to church

Having grandchildren and being part of sports clubs are better for your brain than going to church

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Qurashi, N. (2026, October 20). Having grandchildren and being part of sports clubs are better for your brain than going to church. Daily Mail. https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16225037/grandchildren-sport-clubs-better-brain-church.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490

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Quick Summary

A study from China examining data across 24 countries found that joining sports clubs or taking care of grandchildren is more beneficial for cognitive health in later life compared to attending church services. The research, involving around 58,000 participants aged 57 to 73 and tracked over six years, shows that engaging in at least three social activities significantly improves cognitive performance scores. Volunteering and being part of sports clubs specifically were linked to a reduced risk of cognitive decline, while church or religious group involvement did not show consistent benefits for brain health.

Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-21, using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the same event (that is the story summary below).

AI analysis runs on qwen2.5:14b, locally

Story summary

A new study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health suggests that joining sports clubs or taking care of grandchildren may be more effective than going to church for maintaining brain health as one ages. The research, led by experts from China, analyzed data from five surveys across 24 countries, including the UK and US, focusing on people aged 57 to 73. Cognitive performance was assessed using memory and executive function tests. Those who participated in social activities scored significantly higher, with engaging in at least three types of activities offering the greatest protection against cognitive decline. The study highlights that volunteering and joining sports clubs were particularly beneficial for women, over-60s, and those living alone.

Written for “Grandchildren And Sports Benefit Brain Health” on 2026-10-21, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

Why this leaning score

The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted verbatim and was checked against the article text before being stored, so you can find it in the original.

attending church can help you stay in touch with your community in later life (file image)

right acknowledges a positive aspect of church attendance
But it may not be the best way to keep your mind sharp, research has suggested.

left downplays the cognitive benefits of church attendance
Volunteering and being a member of a sports club were linked to a lower risk of cognitive decline, while attending training courses and looking after children and grandchildren were linked to higher cognitive scores year-on-year.

left emphasizes the cognitive benefits of activities other than church

Reading Leans left (beta estimate) Confidence medium

Leaning: leans left for article 94922 (medium confidence, 3 verified quotes) · logged 2026-10-21

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Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted

sentences that state something as happening or true

Uncertain

36%

4 of 11 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

Leaning

Leans left

of the writing, not the subject · beta estimate

Publisher signals

64/100

Daily Mail's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

Outlets on this story

Health

Same framing elsewhere

articles that frame the event the way this one does

Who wrote this

Noor Qurashi

50 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

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Also by Noor Qurashi

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2026-10-20 · Daily Mail

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2026-10-19 · Daily Mail

Moment looters target Louis Vuitton, Dior and other luxury stores as they cause havoc in France

2026-10-18 · Daily Mail

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2026-10-17 · Daily Mail

Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 50 articles by Noor Qurashi →

Claims (11 extracted, 4 hedged)

From Sunday services to the occasional bake sale, attending church can help you stay in touch with your community in later life. asserted

you → attend → life

But it may not be the best way to keep your mind sharp, research has suggested. uncertain

research → keep → mind

Instead, joining a sports club or taking care of the grandchildren could be better when it comes to ageing – particularly for women, over-60s and those who live alone. uncertain

who → join → women

Experts examined data from five surveys across 24 countries, including England and the US. asserted

Experts → examine → England

People aged 57 to 73 were asked about the type of activities they took part in, with cognitive performance assessed using memory and executive function tests, for which they were given a score. asserted

they → age → score

Researchers from China found that those who took part in social activities had significantly higher scores than those who did not. asserted

who → find → those

Engaging in at least three offered the greatest level of protection, the study suggests. uncertain

study → engage → protection

From Sunday services to the occasional bake sale, attending church can help you stay in touch with your community in later life (file image) asserted

you → attend → image

Volunteering and being a member of a sports club were linked to a lower risk of cognitive decline, while attending training courses and looking after children and grandchildren were linked to higher cognitive scores year-on-year. asserted

attending → volunteer → year

However, being involved in political, community, church or religious groups was not consistently linked with boosting cognitive abilities in the analysis, which tracked around 58,000 participants for an average of six years. asserted

which → involve → years

Experts at the First Dongguan Affiliated Hospital at Guangdong Medical University said: 'Social activity engagement may contribute to improved cognitive health, highlighting the importance of social engagement as a potentially modifiable factor for promoting brain health in older adults.' They added that the findings, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 'support the development and implementation of targeted interventions' that promote diverse social activities for older adults. uncertain

that → say → adults

Having grandchildren and being part of sports clubs are better for your brain than going to church

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Claims (11 extracted, 4 hedged)