London: Reading for pleasure is linked to better mental health, greater empathy and a lower risk of dementia, Cambridge University scientists said on Tuesday.

As part of a National Year of Reading tie-up with the Queen's Reading Room, a charity founded by Queen Camilla to highlight the benefits of reading for pleasure at any age, the scientists argue that it doesn't matter what or how we read.

In a review published in 'Psychological Medicine', Professor Barbara Sahakian and Dr Christelle Langley said reading for enjoyment can bring huge benefits and reading with others, whether it's as part of a book club or a parent reading with their children, can bring even greater rewards.

"Reading is a great way to support our brain health, develop important cognitive skills and boost our wellbeing. It's something we ought to be encouraging from an early age, given the increasing evidence of its benefits, particularly to children, but really, it's never too late to start, and it can bring benefits throughout our lives and into old age," said Sahakian.

Some of the strongest evidence of the benefits of reading for pleasure comes from a study by Sahakian, Langley and colleagues of more than 10,000 young people, which found that children who began reading for pleasure in life showed benefits including: better attention, memory, and executive functioning, greater academic achievement, fewer mental health problems, and healthier lifestyles, including more sleep and less screen time.

Langley said: "Given how beneficial reading for pleasure is at a young age, we should be doing everything we can to introduce children and young people to reading.

"The important thing is to find something they really enjoy - it might be a TV programme or a game - and use this as a way in. Reading comics and graphic novels could also be a helpful introduction as they might be seen as less intimidating, maybe less boring, than novels."

In 'Reading and associations with brain health, cognition, well-being, and mental health' published this week, the experts draw on subjective surveys and objective studies using longitudinal, neuroimaging, and behavioural methods to highlight converging findings that link reading engagement with improved brain and mental health, better cognitive performance, and reduced risk of cognitive decline.

"Shared reading groups and book clubs appear to provide additional benefits through social interaction. They can help people feel less isolated and more connected to others, which has been shown to reduce the risk of dementia," said Sahakian.

"While these clubs can be fun and beneficial at any age, they're perfect for older people who may be not so mobile - they might not be able to go out as an exercise group or a cycling group, but a reading group is something most people can enjoy," she added.