Dementia Modifiable Risk Factors: What You Can Do
While there's no guaranteed way to prevent dementia, research shows that focusing on these modifiable risk factors can significantly reduce your chances of developing it (Livingston et al. 2024):
Untreated Hearing Loss: Getting regular hearing checks and using hearing aids when recommended can be very beneficial.
High LDL Cholesterol: Managing cholesterol through diet, exercise, and medication, if needed, is essential for brain health.
Less Education: Continuing to learn and engage your mind throughout your life is a great approach.
Low Social Contact: Staying socially connected by engaging in stimulating social activities can reduce the risk of cognitive decline.
Untreated Depression: Seeking depression management is a crucial aspect of brain health.
Air Pollution: Exposure to air pollution can increase the risk of dementia, so reducing your exposure is beneficial.
Head Injury: Protect your head from injury and avoid activities that cause repeated head trauma.
Physical Inactivity: Regular physical activity is crucial for brain health.
Diabetes: Monitoring blood sugar levels and following a healthy diet is important to protect your brain.
Smoking: Smoking is very damaging to blood vessels, including those in your brain.
Untreated Hypertension: Having blood pressure under control is important.
Visual Loss: Uncorrected or untreated vision problems can increase the risk of cognitive decline.
Obesity: Maintaining a healthy weight is crucial.
Excessive Alcohol Intake: Excessive alcohol consumption is known to have detrimental effects on brain health.
