According to a new study that looked at 210 potential risk factors, over three-quarters of dementia cases can be avoided. Researchers found 62 avoidable factors among these, grouping them into six categories. According to estimates, between 47 and 73% of dementia cases result from these factors.
Among the lifestyle choices linked to a higher risk of dementia were excessive TV watching and insufficient sleep (less than seven hours or more than nine hours per night).
Unexpectedly, a person’s unhealthy lifestyle causes roughly 17% more preventable dementia instances than their medical background. Stress has also been shown to possibly raise the risk of dementia.
62 causes of dementia
Frailty (determined by a weak hand grip) and medical conditions like diabetes, a handicap, or a past stroke are among the top 62 factors. Even these health concerns can be reduced by leading a healthier lifestyle that includes frequent exercise and a nutritious food.
Over 344,000 British citizens engaged in this extensive study, who were tracked for an average of 15 years and subjected to intensive surveys for the UK Biobank Health Study. Because they were more common among the 4,654 study participants who went on to acquire dementia, the 62 potential dementia preventive variables were determined.
Many individuals continue to think that dementia is an unavoidable component of becoming older, Professor David Smith, a co-author of the study from the University of Oxford, emphasised. But as these findings demonstrate, dementia is much more avoidable than previously thought. According to him, prevention should be the main priority because there aren’t many effective therapies for it.
According to a study that was published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, 16.6% of dementia cases may be related to lifestyle variables such as low water intake, lack of exercise, and poor sleep. 14% of occurrences may be caused by medical history, which primarily includes disability, stroke, diabetes, and depression. It is believed that 13.5% of dementia cases are caused by socioeconomic factors, such as unemployment or low money, which might make it difficult to make good decisions.
The study also reveals that social and psychological elements, such as preventing loneliness and isolation, as well as physical actions, such as improving grip, can help lower the incidence of dementia.
In comparison to people who have healthy lifestyles, those who lead unhealthy lifestyles may have a 62% higher risk of having dementia.
Six fields of importance
47% of dementia cases may be avoided if all six categories—lifestyle, medical history, physical indicators, socioeconomic status, social and psychological factors, and local environment—were improved from poor to good or moderate levels. Up to 73% of instances may be avoided if all categories were raised to an excellent level.
Importantly, these findings hold true for people of all ages and genders and continue to hold true even after taking into account genetic propensity to dementia.
