A recent long-term study of female participants has shown that seven healthy habits and lifestyle choices might help lower the chances of getting dementia. The results were presented in Boston and online at the American Academy of Neurology’s 75th Annual Meeting from April 22 to 27, 2023.
The American Heart Association recommends seven lifestyle changes to maintain a healthy life. These include being active, eating nutritious foods, maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, keeping blood pressure under control, managing cholesterol levels and having low blood sugar.
We recently learned that dementia can actually start in our brains long before we get diagnosed. That’s why it is important to realize how the choices we make during middle age can affect our chances of getting dementia later in life. Pamela Rist from Brigham and Women’s Hospital suggests that if we make healthy lifestyle choices while we are in middle age, then it can help lower our risk of developing dementia when we get older.
The American Heart Association has created something called Life’s Simple 7. This is a set of goals that can help people stay healthy and avoid diseases like heart disease, stroke or other chronic illnesses. To reach these goals there are seven steps:
- Make sure your blood pressure stays in the normal range; this will help lower your chances of getting heart disease or stroke.
- Control your cholesterol levels; high levels of cholesterol will raise your risk for heart disease.
- Lower your sugar levels: Having too much sugar in your blood can make you more likely to get problems like type 2 diabetes.
- Exercise regularly: Working out a lot can help keep you healthy and stop chronic diseases from happening.
- Eat healthier food: Eating good food will help prevent health issues and make sure you stay fit and healthy.
- Keep weight under control: Keeping a healthy weight will reduce the risk of developing chronic illnesses and help keep you physically fit.
- Quitting smoking can reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, and other chronic conditions.
A recent study included 13,720 women between the ages of 54-74 with a 20-year follow up. After that time, the researchers looked at Medicare data to decide who had been diagnosed with dementia. One way these people can reduce their risk of serious health issues like heart disease and stroke is by quitting smoking. Additionally, they can take these seven steps to make changes to promote better health outcomes.
Out of the people in the study, 1,771, or 13%, ended up getting dementia.
To measure how healthy everyone was at the beginning of the study, they were given a score between 0 and 7 based on how well their health was. The average score was 4.3 right at the start and stayed around 4.2 after 10 years.
Researchers found that for each extra point added to someone’s score, their chances of getting dementia decreased by 6%.
It is really helpful to know that taking certain steps such as exercise for 30 minutes each day and controlling our blood pressure can decrease the danger of developing dementia. The study was limited, though, since it didn’t consider if anything like quitting smoking has an effect on getting dementia later in life. The National Institutes of Health provided support for the study.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dementia
What are the 4 types of dementia?
1. Alzheimer’s disease
2. Vascular dementia
3. Lewy body dementia
4. Frontotemporal dementia
What are the 6 stages of dementia?
1. No impairment: The person is functioning normally and has no signs of dementia.
2. Very mild decline: The person may have some slight memory loss and difficulty focusing.
3. Mild decline: The person may have difficulty recalling recent events and names, and may show signs of confusion.
4. Moderate decline: The person may have difficulty with everyday activities, such as managing finances and getting dressed.
5. Moderately severe decline: The person may require assistance with some daily activities and may have difficulty communicating.
6. Severe decline: The person may be unable to communicate and may require assistance with all daily activities.
What is life expectancy with dementia?
The life expectancy of someone with dementia can vary greatly depending on the type and severity of the dementia, as well as the individual’s overall health. However, the average life expectancy of someone with dementia is between 4 and 10 years.
What are the 10 early signs of dementia?
1. Short-term memory loss
2. Difficulty with problem solving
3. Impaired judgement
4. Confusion
5. Disorientation
6. Language difficulties
7. Difficulty completing familiar tasks
8. Poor concentration
9. Changes in mood or behaviour
10. Loss of interest in hobbies and activities