New research from University College London suggests that dementia rates are set to double in England and Wales by 2024. Poor lifestyle choices have been identified as a key factor driving this sharp rise. Although promising strides towards defeating Alzheimer’s disease – the most common form of dementia – have recently been made, the old adage that prevention is better than a cure still holds true. Fortunately, research has identified six lifestyle choices that people can make to significantly reduce their dementia risk.
The study observed almost 30,000 cognitively normal adults for more than a decade. It found that people who adopted four to six healthy lifestyle habits were 90% less likely to develop dementia than those who had only zero or one habit; people with two to three habits were 30% less likely. The six healthy habits identified were: a healthy diet, defined as maintaining the recommended daily intake of at least seven out of 12 food groups; cognitive activity, such as reading, playing cards or doing crosswords at least twice a week; regular exercise, which was defined as 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise each week; socialising twice a week by visiting friends, family or attending meetings; never having smoked or being an ex-smoker; and no alcohol consumption.
The researchers found that there was little difference in dementia risk between those who had a genetic susceptibility to Alzheimer’s disease and those who did not. This suggests that the impact of a healthy lifestyle on the risk of developing dementia is greater than the impact of genetics.
It is notable that this study was conducted in China, and there may be cultural differences that impact the findings. Nonetheless, the study serves as an important reminder that adopting healthy habits can have a significant impact on both our physical and mental health. As Dr Susan Mitchell, Head of Policy at Alzheimer’s Research UK, points out: “Too few of us know that there are steps we can all take to reduce our chances of dementia in later life. Factors across our lifespan can influence the health of our brains, so it’s never too early or too late to think about adopting healthy habits.
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