Dementia refers to a group of symptoms that affect memory, thinking, and social skills to the point that they disrupt daily life.
It’s not one specific disease but a collection of brain-related conditions that gradually decrease a person’s ability to think clearly or remember details.
For example, dementia might cause someone to forget how to get home or struggle to remember the names of close friends.
A new study shows that practicing seven healthy habits can help lower the risk of dementia, even for people who are genetically more likely to develop it.
This research, published in the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, offers hope that lifestyle choices can play a strong role in protecting against dementia.
The Seven Habits for a Healthier Brain
The American Heart Association has developed a list called “Life’s Simple 7,” which outlines seven healthy habits that benefit both the heart and the brain. These habits include:
- Staying Active: Regular physical activity, like walking, playing sports, or exercising, helps maintain a healthy brain.
- Eating Well: Choosing nutritious foods, like fruits and vegetables, over sugary snacks and processed foods supports brain and body health.
- Maintaining a Healthy Weight: Losing weight if you are overweight can improve brain health and reduce the risk of dementia.
- Avoiding Smoking: Not smoking helps keep blood flow strong to the brain and lowers the risk of various health issues.
- Managing Blood Pressure: Keeping blood pressure within a healthy range can help protect blood vessels in the brain, reducing dementia risk.
- Controlling Cholesterol: Cholesterol, a type of fat in the blood, should be kept at healthy levels to support heart and brain health.
- Reducing Blood Sugar: High blood sugar can damage blood vessels and lead to health issues that raise the risk of dementia.
What the Study Discovered
In the study, researchers tracked 8,823 people of European ancestry and 2,738 people of African ancestry for 30 years. When the study started, participants were, on average, 54 years old.
The participants shared information about their lifestyles, which helped researchers measure how well they were following the seven healthy habits.
In addition to gathering lifestyle data, researchers also looked at each participant’s genetic risk for dementia. They analyzed certain genes known to increase the chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia.
By the end of the study, 1,603 participants with European ancestry and 631 participants with African ancestry had developed dementia.
The results showed that participants who practiced the healthy habits had a lower risk of dementia, regardless of their genetic risk. Even for people with the highest genetic risk, following the healthy habits made a difference.
For instance, each one-point increase in the lifestyle score—indicating closer adherence to the seven habits—was associated with a 9% reduction in dementia risk among people of European ancestry.
Important Notes
The researchers noted that the study included fewer people of African ancestry, so more research is needed to confirm these findings for this group. They also stressed the importance of studying other population groups to ensure the results apply widely.
The Main Message: Lifestyle Matters
The takeaway from this study is clear: no matter what your genetic risk may be, making healthy lifestyle choices can have a big impact on your risk of dementia.
By following the Life’s Simple 7 habits, you can support both heart and brain health, potentially lowering the chance of dementia later in life.
It’s a reminder that taking small steps now—like getting regular exercise, eating healthy, keeping a healthy weight, avoiding smoking, and managing blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar—can make a big difference. And remember, it’s never too early or too late to start building these habits!
If you care about dementia, please read studies that eating apples and tea could keep dementia at bay, and Olive oil: a daily dose for better brain health.
For more health information, please see recent studies what you eat together may affect your dementia risk, and time-restricted eating: a simple way to fight aging and cancer.
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