New research from Oxford Population Health has revealed that individuals with poor metabolic health face an elevated risk of developing dementia.
The study, published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia, explores the connection between metabolic syndrome—a cluster of metabolic health conditions—and the subsequent development of dementia.
While the study establishes an association, it does not establish causation.
Metabolic syndrome is characterized by the presence of three or more of the following conditions:
- High waist circumference
- High triglycerides (a type of fat in the blood)
- High blood pressure
- High blood glucose
- Low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (often referred to as “good” cholesterol)
Approximately 20-25% of adults worldwide live with metabolic syndrome, which has previously been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
Study Methodology and Key Findings
The researchers examined data from the UK Biobank study, encompassing over 176,000 participants aged 60 or older.
Importantly, all participants were dementia-free at the study’s outset, ensuring that the research focused on individuals at risk of developing dementia. Their health was tracked through medical records over a 15-year period.
The study’s main findings include:
At the study’s commencement, 42% of participants had metabolic syndrome.
The most prevalent metabolic syndrome condition among participants was high blood pressure (96%), followed by high triglycerides (74%), low HDL-cholesterol (72%), high waist circumference (70%), and high blood glucose (50%).
Over the 15-year period, 5,255 individuals developed dementia.
Participants with metabolic syndrome had a 12% increased risk of developing dementia compared to those without metabolic syndrome.
A higher number of metabolic syndrome conditions was associated with an increased dementia risk. For instance, having four or five conditions raised dementia risk by 19% and 50%, respectively.
Implications and Future Directions
The lead author of the study, Danial Qureshi, emphasized the significance of early identification and management of metabolic syndrome as a potential approach to reduce dementia risk.
Given that each of the individual components of metabolic syndrome is modifiable through lifestyle changes or medications, targeting metabolic syndrome appears promising for dementia prevention.
Dr. Thomas Littlejohns, senior author and Senior Epidemiologist at Oxford Population Health, added that preventing, managing, and treating specific health conditions could play a role in reducing the risk of dementia.
The study’s findings underscore the importance of considering the role of multiple conditions, particularly as the highest dementia risk was observed in individuals with all five components of metabolic syndrome.
The study used data from the UK Biobank, which comprises over half a million women and men aged 40-69.
Participants’ consent allowed their health to be tracked through medical records, capturing dementia diagnoses up to 15 years later.
The extended follow-up period is critical, as dementia develops gradually over several years before clinical diagnosis.
The researchers’ observation that the strongest associations between poor metabolic health and dementia risk occurred more than a decade later provides promising evidence that poor metabolic health could contribute significantly to dementia risk, rather than being solely a consequence of dementia.
If you care about dementia, please read studies about how the Mediterranean diet could protect your brain health, and these antioxidants could help reduce dementia risk.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies that blueberry supplements may prevent cognitive decline, and results showing higher magnesium intake could help benefit brain health.
The research findings can be found in Alzheimer’s & Dementia.
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