7 Ways to Lower Dementia Risk, Regardless of Your Genes

News Brief: Even people at high genetic risk can improve their chances of avoiding the disease

Image: Pixabay

Plenty of research shows the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia can be lowered by altering several unhealthy behaviors that happen also to be good for overall health, well-being and longevity. That’s not news, though few of us embrace all the behaviors, even though the sooner we do, the greater the odds we’ll live long and dementia-free.

Here’s what’s news: A new study finds that engaging in seven of the key factors that lower dementia risk reduce the chances even for people who are genetically at high risk.

Researchers reviewed health data on more than 11,000 people of European and African ancestry. Those who most leaned into or did well on the following behaviors and measures were less likely to develop dementia over a 30-year period compared to other people in their same genetic-risk category who’d been least apt to adhere:

• Be physically active
• Eat well
• Lose weight
• Don’t smoke
• Maintain healthy blood pressure
• Control cholesterol
• Reduce blood sugar

The seven factors are referred to as the American Heart Association’s Life’s Simple 7.

“Even for people who are at the highest genetic risk, living by this same healthier lifestyle are likely to have a lower risk of dementia,” said study team member Adrienne Tin, PhD, of the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

The findings are published today in the online issue of the journal Neurology.

5 Ways to Live Longer and Without Dementia

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