Adopting six healthy lifestyle habits could reduce the risk of developing dementia, research suggests.
Experts also said benefits could be gained from doing just ten minutes of exercise a day, half of the recommended amount.
Dementia, a disease in which brain function is impaired and sufferers are deprived of memory and independence, is on the rise.
In England alone, the number of diagnoses has risen to 487,432 in June this year, an increase of 12 percent compared to January.
The rising rates are thought to be due to a combination of an ageing population, greater awareness of symptoms leading more people to seek testing, and a higher prevalence of risk factors that can lead to dementia.
Hundreds of participants were assessed for their healthy lifestyle, and scored between zero and six based on all the different factors. Volunteers who did not sweat for at least ten minutes a day for three or four days a week scored nothing. The other two factors related to lifestyle habits were related to alcohol consumption, smoking and sleep quality. Social interaction and hobbies were the other two factors.
Around 900,000 Britons are currently thought to have the memory-impairing disorder. But scientists at University College London estimate this figure will rise to 1.7 million within two decades as people live longer. This is a 40% increase on the previous forecast in 2017.
But experts say making some lifestyle changes could significantly reduce the risk of developing the disease.
A recent Chinese study assessed hundreds of participants on how healthy their lives were and gave them a score between zero and six based on several factors.
For example, doing a “healthy” level of exercise earned them one point.
In contrast, volunteers who did not sweat for at least ten minutes a day for three or four days a week scored nothing in this category.
Other lifestyle factors were alcohol consumption, smoking and sleep quality. Social interaction and hobbies were the other two factors.
The 2,537 volunteers who did not have dementia when the study began were followed for two years.
The analysis showed that participants who scored at least four points overall were 29 percent less likely to show signs of cognitive decline at the end, compared with anyone who scored three points or less.
And each one-point increase in the total score was linked to an 18 percent lower risk of cognitive decline, which is considered a precursor to dementia, said researchers at the People’s Liberation Army General Hospital in Beijing.
The benefits also appeared to be even more marked among participants who had suffered cardiometabolic diseases, such as a stroke or heart attack.
Living an inactive lifestyle (defined as a score of three or less) was associated with a three-fold increased risk of early cognitive decline.
About 29.98 percent of cases of early cognitive decline “would not have occurred if all older adults with cardiometabolic diseases had led an active lifestyle,” the authors said.
Participants were 60 years or older and were questioned about their daily exercise habits and medical history.
A physical examination also measured their height, weight and blood pressure, while blood samples were taken to assess their glucose and cholesterol levels.
The volunteers were then surveyed about six lifestyle factors linked to dementia and monitored for diagnosis of the disease.
But they can also be a sign of dementia, the memory-destroying disease that affects nearly one million Britons and seven million Americans.
In the study, one point was given to volunteers who met each of the following categories:
- Exercise: Being active for more than ten minutes “almost every day” or “three or four days a week.”
- Smoking status: Never smoked or has quit smoking.
- Alcohol consumption: Drink rarely every month.
- Social contact: Meeting more than three times a month for social activities or three times a week with other people in the neighborhood.
- Leisure activities: Reading books or newspapers every day, using the Internet daily or playing cards at least twice a week.
- Sleep quality: Falling asleep or not waking up easily.
The study, published in the journal Journal of Affective DisordersHowever, it had its own flaws.
The scientists did not consider the impact of other sleep factors, such as sleeping less than the minimum of seven hours a night.
Around 900,000 people in the UK and seven million in the US have dementia, an umbrella term used for several brain diseases that affect memory, thinking and cognition.
Other studies have also linked lifestyle factors to an increased risk of dementia.
In 2020, the Lancet Commission concluded that up to 40 percent of cases could be prevented or delayed by addressing 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, which change as we age, people can take steps to reduce their chances of contracting the disease.
Although the number of dementia cases diagnosed in England is at a record high, analysts estimate that it only represents 65 percent of the actual number of cases.
This means that hundreds of thousands of Britons are living with the disease but receiving no support.
Dementia cannot be cured, but there are medications and therapies available to help slow its progression and combat symptoms.
Treating dementia already costs the UK £4bn each year, although this figure is set to double to £90bn over the next 15 years.
It is also one of the leading causes of death in the country, responsible for the deaths of one in ten Britons.
Britain is not the only country facing rising numbers of dementia cases: experts predict that global cases of the disease will triple to 153 million by 2050.
Global rates, like those in the UK, are expected to rise due to an ageing population and increasing poor diet and lack of exercise, which lead to increased risk factors for dementia.
WHAT IS DEMENTIA?
Dementia is a general term used to describe a variety of neurological disorders.
A GLOBAL CONCERN
Dementia is a general term used to describe a variety of progressive neurological disorders (those affecting the brain) that affect memory, thinking, and behavior.
There are many types of dementia, of which Alzheimer’s disease is the most common.
Some people may have a combination of different types of dementia.
Regardless of which type is diagnosed, each person will experience dementia in their own unique way.
Dementia is a global concern, but it is most commonly seen in wealthier countries, where people are more likely to live to a 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 and this figure is expected to rise to 1.6 million by 2040.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, affecting 50 to 75 percent of people diagnosed.
In the United States, it is estimated that there are 5.5 million people suffering from Alzheimer’s and that percentage is expected to increase in the coming years.
As a person’s age increases, so does the risk of developing dementia.
Diagnosis rates are improving, but many people with dementia are still thought to be undiagnosed.
IS THERE A CURE?
There is currently no cure for dementia.
But new drugs can slow its progression, and the earlier it is detected, the more effective the treatments can be.
Source: Alzheimer’s Society
