Lifestyle Changes Could Drastically Reduce Dementia Cases

the Psychiatry Advisor take:

Lifestyle changes could potentially prevent dementia in over 80,000 people annually in the United Kingdom alone, according to new research that will be presented at the World Innovation Summit for Health in Doha, Qatar, in February.

In a new report, researchers suggest that eating a healthy diet, maintaining healthy weight, exercising, and stimulating the brain can all reduce the risk of developing dementia. High blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, depression, obesity, and inactivity were all linked to increased risk of developing dementia.

The researchers encourage people to take preventative action against dementia earlier in life, noting that evidence has shown that the brain starts to deteriorate around age 40.

High blood pressure is the biggest contributor to dementia cases, linked to an estimated 40,000 cases each year in the United Kingdom. Type 2 diabetes is the second biggest risk factor, linked to over 25,000 cases, followed by depression (13,000 cases) and obesity/inactivity (4,000 cases).

The report cites a study of 1,200 people in Finland aged between 60 and 80, half of whom made changes to their diet, managed their heart health, and increased brain training and social activity. The participants who made these changes had better overall health and performed significantly better on tests of memory, planning, judgment, problem-solving, and speed of cognitive processing.