Five behavioral changes that can significantly reduce risk

A healthy lifestyle can significantly reduce the risk of dementia. This is evidenced by the results of the study. Certain factors play an important role in this.

Many people fear dementia as they get older. The fear is unfounded, after all, around 1.6 million people in Germany are currently suffering from the spread of the disease – and more will be affected in the future. For the year 2050, the number of diseases was estimated at 150 million in the context of the Alzheimer’s Association conference. However, one cannot be defenseless against the risk of developing dementia, but can influence it positively through the right diet, for example. In addition, according to the results of one study, additional behavioral changes can significantly reduce the risk of developing the disease.

Dementia: five behavioral changes that can significantly reduce risk

Its published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ). Stady The researchers observed living in different groups of people between 1993 and 2012. The study involved 2,449 people aged at least 65 from the Chicago area. During the study period, dementia from Alzheimer’s disease was ruled out in 2,110 people, while 339 people developed Alzheimer’s disease. The scientists administered neurocognitive tests to the subjects every three years (up to six times per person).

The researchers developed a five-point system for the analysis. This enabled them to read the risk factors for individual groups of people and assess their lifestyle. Because for each category fulfilled, the participants are awarded one point, so that at best they get five points. So the more points they get, the healthier their lifestyle and vice versa. The system included the following five factors:

• Sticking to a ‘Brain Healthy Diet’: A Mediterranean-DASH Diet Intervention to Delay Neurodegeneration, (MIND) Diet
• A high level of cognitive activity (reading, visiting museums, doing crossword puzzles, puzzles, or card and board games)
• High level of physical activity (more than 140 minutes of exercise per week)
• Do not smoke
• Reduced alcohol consumption (up to 15 grams per day for women, and up to 30 grams per day for men)

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Preventing dementia and prolonging life: Lifestyle plays a major role

Every ten years, scientists re-evaluated the number of points achieved by a group of people for each age group and gender and for those with or without dementia. Depending on the points achieved, the life expectancy of the subjects was evaluated when evaluating the results of the study. For women age 65 with four or five points, life expectancy was 24.2 years. In contrast, women of the same age who scored no or only one point had a life expectancy of 3.1 years. In addition, lifestyle had an impact on the development and duration of dementia: Ten percent of women who lead a healthy lifestyle live with dementia, with an average of 2.6 years of life expectancy. On the other hand, women with dementia lived an unhealthy lifestyle for 4.1 years with a shorter lifespan.

For men, the difference was even more stark: 65-year-olds who followed a healthy lifestyle had a life expectancy of 23.1 years, about 5.7 years longer than unhealthy men. They also suffered from dementia, an average of 1.4 years out of 23.1 years. In contrast, the healthy men spent 2.1 of the remaining 17.4 years of life with dementia. Says Professor D. Hans-Christoph Diener, spokesperson for the German Neurological Society (DGN). The healthier the lifestyle, the greater the effect. That’s why it’s worth working on all factors, according to Diener. “There’s no reason to give up because you know you can’t change a habit. There are still three or four other ‘adjusting screws’ you can use to increase your life expectancy.”