An international study in the
Lancet revealed that if people took care of their brain throughout life, they could avoid dementia.
- Mid-life hearing loss - responsible for 9% of the risk
- Failing to complete secondary education - 8%
- Smoking - 5%
- Failing to seek early treatment for depression - 4%
- Physical inactivity - 3%
- Social isolation - 2%
- High blood pressure - 2%
- Obesity - 1%
- Type 2 diabetes - 1%
These
risk factors (35%) are potentially modifiable, whereas other 65% is thought to be potentially non-modifiable (http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(17)31363-6/fulltext).
"Although
dementia is diagnosed in later life, the brain changes usually begin to develop
years before," said lead author Prof Gill Livingston, from University
College London.
"Acting
now will vastly improve life for people with dementia and their families and,
in doing so, will transform the future of society."
Also, those lifestyle
factors can play a major role in increasing or reducing an individual's
dementia risk. Not smoking, doing exercise, keeping a healthy weight, treating high blood
pressure and diabetes can all reduce the risk of dementia, as well as
cardiovascular disease, and cancer.
The report says :
- how to exercise the braint to strengthen its networks to continue to function in later life despite damage.
- poor education was a major risk factor,however those who study throughout life are likely to build additional brain reserves.
- hearing loss in middle age can lead to social isolation and depression.
Now there are 47 million people living with dementia and by 2050, the number will increase to 131 million globally.
Another key message from the report is that what is good for the heart is
good for the brain.
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