Five behavioral changes drastically reduce the risk of dementia

Merkur Five behavioral changes drastically reduce the risk of dementia Article by Judith Braun • 1 day • 3 minutes reading time Lifestyle plays an important role Dementia is a widespread disease, but you are not defenseless against it. Researchers have identified factors that influence the risk. The fear of developing dementia in old age is widespread. Currently, around 1.6 million people in Germany are affected by this disease. According to forecasts, the number could rise to 150 million by 2050, as reported at the Alzheimer Association Conference. But there is no reason to give up, because there are ways to reduce the risk of developing dementia, for example through a healthy diet. A study has also shown that certain behavioral changes can significantly reduce the risk of developing the disease. Prevent dementia: With five behavioral changes you can drastically reduce your risk In the study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), researchers examined various lifestyles of people between 1993 and 2012. The study participants, a total of 2,449 people aged at least 65 from a Chicago district, were regularly subjected to neurocognitive tests. During the study, Alzheimer's dementia was ruled out in 2,110 people, but 339 people developed Alzheimer's. The researchers developed a five-point system to assess the participants' lifestyle and risk factors. Each test subject could score one point for each category they met, with five points being the optimum. The more points achieved, the healthier the person's lifestyle was. The five factors of the system were: Adherence to a "brain-healthy diet", the so-called Mediterranean-DASH Diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay, (MIND) diet. A high level of cognitive activity, for example through reading, visiting museums, doing crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles or card and board games. A high level of physical activity, defined as more than 140 minutes of exercise per week. Not smoking. A low level of alcohol consumption, defined as up to 15 grams per day for women and up to 30 grams per day for men. Preventing dementia and extending life expectancy: lifestyle plays a crucial role The researchers reassessed every ten years how many points a group of people achieved, for each age group, gender and for those with and without pre-existing dementia. The points achieved influenced the life expectancy of the subjects. For example, 65-year-old women who achieved four or five points had a life expectancy of an additional 24.2 years. In contrast, the life expectancy of women of the same age who achieved no or only one point was reduced by 3.1 years. Lifestyle also had an impact on the development and duration of dementia: Ten percent of women with a healthy lifestyle lived with dementia for an average of 2.6 years of their expected lifespan, while women with an unhealthy lifestyle lived with dementia for 4.1 years despite a shortened lifespan. The difference was even greater for men: 65-year-old men with a healthy lifestyle had a life expectancy of 23.1 years, around 5.7 years more than men with an unhealthy lifestyle. On average, they suffered from dementia for 1.4 years of the 23.1 years, while men with an unhealthy lifestyle spent 2.1 years of the remaining 17.4 years with dementia. Prof. Dr. Hans Christoph Diener, press spokesman for the German Society of Neurology (DGN), emphasizes: "The results clearly show that a healthy lifestyle can actively prevent Alzheimer's dementia and increase life expectancy, especially 'dementia-free' life." The healthier the lifestyle, the greater the effect. Therefore, it is worthwhile to work on all factors. "There is no reason to give up because you know that you cannot change a habit. There are still three or four other 'adjustments' that you can make to increase your life expectancy." This article only contains general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication. It is in no way a substitute for a visit to the doctor. Our editorial team is not permitted to answer individual questions about medical conditions.