If you avoid three things in your 50s...you can delay dementia by 13 years A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Neurology on the 7th found that if people in their 50s avoid three risk factors for dementia, they can delay the onset of dementia by about 13 years. The research team, led by Dr. David A. Bennett of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, analyzed data from 2,416 participants aged 50 to 89 who had not been diagnosed with dementia at the start of the study. The team identified three risk factors: hypertension, hearing loss, and smoking. They divided the participants into two groups: those who had none of the three risk factors and those who had at least one. They then compared the two groups to see how long it took for dementia to develop. As a result, the team found that people in their 50s who had none of the three risk factors developed dementia about 13 years later than those who had at least one risk factor. In particular, the team found that people with hypertension developed dementia 5.4 years earlier than those without hypertension, those with hearing loss developed dementia 3.2 years earlier, and smokers developed dementia 2.4 years earlier. The team emphasized that the risk factors for dementia are not limited to these three, and that there are many other risk factors that need to be managed. The study suggests that managing risk factors in one's 50s can have a significant impact on delaying the onset of dementia. The research team said, "The sooner you address risk factors, the better." They added, "The results suggest that delaying the onset of dementia can have a significant impact on reducing the burden of dementia."
As people enter their 50s, they face a critical period where their midlife health decisions can greatly impact their later years. One major concern for this age group is dementia, a condition that not only diminishes the quality of life for the individual but also strains family life. Research reveals that three key factors – smoking, diabetes, and hypertension – can significantly affect dementia risk during middle age.
A study published in the journal Neurology Open Access analyzed data from 1,240,909 American adults aged 45 to 65, tracking their health for 26 years. Of these, 3,008 participants developed dementia, while 5,238 died without it. The researchers found that individuals with all three risk factors – smoking, diabetes, and hypertension – had a 2.7 times higher chance of developing dementia compared to those without any of these factors.
Even when considering other variables such as gender, education, physical activity, BMI, and the APOE gene variant associated with Alzheimer's, the results remained consistent. Participants who avoided all three risk factors lived an average of 12.6 more years dementia-free compared to those who had all three. Those with one or two risk factors lived an average of 17.5 to 18.1 years dementia-free.
The findings suggest that making these lifestyle changes in middle age can greatly reduce the risk of dementia and increase overall lifespan. However, the study emphasizes that more research is needed to determine the full extent of these benefits. While the current research does not account for factors like hearing loss, social isolation, or air pollution, the authors stress that even considering these variables, the protective effects of avoiding these three midlife risk factors could be even greater.
Written by urgent.news from Hankyoreh's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
