Experts reveal that only three factors are important in preventing dementia
There are just three main things you need to worry about when it comes to preventing dementia, a review suggests.
Over the years, everything from what time you go to bed to how much alcohol you drink has been linked to memory-robbing disorder.
But by looking at data from more than 20,000 older adults over a thirty-year period, researchers found that three lifestyle factors demonstrably outweighed all others.
Not having a hobby, being overweight and living a sedentary lifestyle after age 60 were the biggest predictors of who would develop the disorder.
They also found that Americans living in the South were more likely to develop the condition, even after adjusting for factors such as income. 13560353
So taking up knitting, going for regular walks and watching your calories are the key factors in preventing the incurable condition.
Peter Hudomiet, an economist who led the study, said: ‘This work provides additional evidence about the actions individuals can take to pursue a lifestyle that promotes brain health across the lifespan.’
In the study, he added: ‘Other lifestyle and health behavior factors are not strong predictors of dementia, such as smoking, checking cholesterol levels, getting flu shots and getting mammograms, pap smears and breast or prostate exams.’
Actor Christ Hemsworth discovered that he has copies of a gene that makes someone more likely to develop dementia. The Australian is an avid gym goer and also enjoys surfing, boxing and football
The scientists suggest that learning about your risk factors may help people prevent age-related decline.
This is what Avengers actor Chris Hemsworth, 41, started doing after discovering he was more likely to develop dementia while filming a documentary.
He has since found a renewed focus on sleep, stress management, nutrition and fitness, in an effort to reduce his risk of developing the disease.
Research has suggested that almost 10 percent of adults over the age of 65 may have dementia – which equates to more than 7 million people. This number is likely to increase if current trends continue, affecting an estimated 12 million people by 2040.
The research was conducted by the RAND Corporation, a nonprofit organization and research institution based in California and funded by the biotechnology company Genentech.
It included three separate studies that focused on what factors put people at higher risk of dementia, and how they respond to them.
The first used a survey that has followed more than 20,000 older adults since 1992. The survey, called the Health and Retirement Study, asks people about their daily habits and health.
This included questions about hobbies. Some of the most popular were chess, word games, gardening, car maintenance and clothing making.
Using this study, they found that those who were over 60 years old, were obese, did not exercise and had no hobbies were more likely to develop dementia.
This was visible based on geography: more adults developed dementia in the South than in other parts of the country.
This pattern persisted even after adjusting for other factors such as socioeconomic status.
Other factors, such as if someone had had a stroke earlier in life and did not have private health insurance, also corresponded to a greater incidence of dementia.
In terms of other factors, such as alcohol consumption, the researchers found that people who drank moderately had the lowest risk of dementia, and that the risk was increased both in people who never drink and in people who drank excessively.
The researchers gave no reason why pursuing hobbies and maintaining physical fitness would have kept people’s brains intact longer.
This isn’t the first study to link exercise as an important way to prevent memory loss with age. This includes vigorous traditional exercise like running, but some studies have also shown that even doing chores can provide a protective benefit
But research has shown that hobbies give people a sense of purpose in life and allow them to exercise their cognition and literally train their brain.
Both factors are linked to less accumulation of proteins in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease, the researchers said.
On a physical level, regular exercise can help support healthy blood flow. Healthy blood flow to the brain is thought to be crucial for the organ’s long-term health, as blood supplies nutrients essential for thinking, health and memory, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
On the other side of the coin, people who are obese often have problems with blood flow, which could lead to a higher risk of dementia. Some studies have also shown that obesity can cause chronic inflammation, which can cause long-term damage to the brain.
The second and third studies within the new RAND report looked at how people react when they hear they have been diagnosed with dementia and what barriers they encountered in treatment.
They found that when diagnosed, about 25 percent sought help with finances, compared to about 2 percent of people without dementia at the same age.
They found they were also more likely to develop the will and prepare to move to a safer location than people without a diagnosis of dementia.
The largest barrier to treatment was the out-of-pocket costs associated with obtaining memory care. 80 percent of respondents said they would get cognitive tests if they were free, but that number was cut in half if the test cost $300.
Study author Susann Rohwedder and a senior economist at RAND say this shows that making accessible technologies that can provide early diagnosis could be critical to keeping dementia patients safe.
She said: ‘Assessments provided individuals with information that can facilitate actions to prepare for the future’