Health researchers have been granted £124m funding to help challenge major health issues, including work on how to reduce the risk of dementia through exercise.

The funds have been provided by the Department of Health and will look to impact on the development of innovative treatments and techniques to improve healthcare. It's also hoped the investment will stimulate the health research economy and attract future funding.

The money is to be spent by experts from 13 leading research teams, who will spend the next five years on their specialist projects.

It's thought one of those projects will involve researching how exercise can help to prevent the development of dementia.

As previously reported by Health Club Management magazine, a recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Maryland School of Public Health suggested exercise could stimulate parts of the brain associated with memory and help reduce the progression of mild cognitive impairment (MCI).