John Ely, Deputy Health Editor, Mailonline
July 22, 2024 09:57, updated July 22, 2024 10:02
Research suggests that adopting six healthy lifestyle habits could significantly reduce your risk of developing dementia.
Experts also said that even just 10 minutes of exercise a day – half the recommended time – could be beneficial.
Dementia, a condition in which brain function declines and memory and independence are lost, is on the rise.
In England alone, the number of infected people stood at 487,432 as of June this year, a 12 percent increase since January.
The rising rates are thought to be due to a combination of an ageing population, more people seeking testing due to increased awareness of the symptoms, and an increased prevalence of risk factors that lead to dementia.
But experts say that by making some simple lifestyle changes, you can significantly reduce your risk of developing the disease.
A recent study in China had hundreds of participants rate how healthy their lives were, giving them a score between 0 and 6 based on a variety of factors.
For example, a “healthy” level of exercise will earn you one point.
In contrast, volunteers who didn’t sweat for more than 10 minutes a day, three or four days a week, gained nothing in this category.
Other lifestyle habits were related to alcohol consumption, smoking status, and sleep quality. Social interaction and having hobbies were the other two factors.
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All 2,537 volunteers, who were free of dementia at the start of the study, were followed for two years.
The analysis found that participants who scored at least four points in total were 29% less likely to show signs of cognitive decline at the end of the test than those who scored three or less.
And every one-point increase in the total score was associated with an 18% lower risk of cognitive decline, a precursor to dementia, said the researchers, from the People’s Liberation Army General Hospital in Beijing.
The benefits were even more pronounced among participants who had previously suffered from cardiometabolic diseases such as stroke or heart attack.
A less active lifestyle (defined as a score of 3 or less) was associated with a three-fold increased risk of early cognitive decline.
Approximately 29.98% of premature cognitive decline “would not have occurred if all older adults with cardiometabolic diseases adhered to an active lifestyle,” the authors wrote.
Participants were aged 60 or older and were asked about their daily exercise habits and medical history.
The physical exam also included measuring height, weight and blood pressure, and blood samples were taken to assess blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
The volunteers were then surveyed about six lifestyle factors associated with dementia and monitored to diagnose the disease.
In this study, volunteers were given one point if they fulfilled each of the following categories:
Physical activity: At least 10 minutes of activity almost every day or 3-4 days per week. Smoking status: Never smoked or quit smoking. Alcohol consumption: Drinks alcohol infrequently each month. Social interactions: Meet for social activities at least 3 times a month or meet with neighbors 3 times a week. Leisure activities: Read a book or newspaper every day, use the Internet daily, or play card games at least twice a week. Sleep quality: Falling asleep or waking up easily.
But the study, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, had drawbacks.
The scientists did not take into account the influence of other sleep factors, such as getting less than the minimum seven hours of sleep per night.
Around 900,000 people in the UK and around 7 million in the US have dementia – a general term for a number of brain diseases that affect memory, thinking and cognition.
Other studies have also linked lifestyle habits to an increased risk of dementia.
In 2020, the Lancet Commission concluded that up to 40% of cases could be prevented or delayed by targeting 12 modifiable risk factors, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, physical inactivity, excessive alcohol consumption, and smoking.
Scientists hope that by raising awareness of risk factors that change with age, people can take steps to reduce their chances of contracting the disease.
The number of diagnosed cases of dementia in England is at an all-time high, but analysts estimate that it only represents 65% of the actual number of cases.
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This means hundreds of thousands of Britons are living with the disease without any support.
Dementia cannot be cured, but there are medications and treatments available to slow its progression and manage symptoms.
Treating dementia in the UK already costs £4 billion a year but this is predicted to more than double to £90 billion over the next 15 years.
It is also one of the biggest causes of death in the UK, killing one in ten people.
The UK is not alone in facing a rise in dementia deaths: experts predict the number of people living with dementia worldwide will triple by 2050, to 153 million.
As in the UK, rates of dementia are expected to rise globally due to an ageing population and increasing dementia risk factors such as unhealthy diet and lack of exercise.
What is Dementia?
Global Concerns
Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a range of progressive neurological disorders (diseases that affect the brain) that affect memory, thinking and behavior.
There are many types of dementia, but the most common is Alzheimer’s disease.
There may be cases where people have more than one type of dementia occurring together.
Regardless of what type they are diagnosed with, each person experiences dementia in their own way.
Dementia is a global concern, but it is most prevalent in wealthy countries where people are more likely to live to very old age.
How many people are affected?
The Alzheimer’s Society reports that there are currently more than 900,000 people living with dementia in the UK – a number that is predicted to rise to 1.6 million by 2040.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, affecting 50-75% of those diagnosed.
An estimated 5.5 million people in the United States have Alzheimer’s disease, with a similar rate increase expected in the coming years.
As you get older, your risk of developing dementia increases.
Although diagnosis rates are improving, many people with dementia are still thought to be undiagnosed.
Is there a cure?
There is currently no cure for dementia.
However, new medications can slow its progression, and early detection allows for more effective treatment.
Source: Alzheimer’s Association