A new study has revealed seemingly innocuous lifestyle choices made around the age of 60 could reveal your risk of developing dementia a startling two decades before symptoms emerge.
The analysis from RAND, which tracked about 20,000 older Americans since 1992, identified several “key predictors” around the age of 60, which can serve as a red flag for cognitive decline. Critical among these are choosing a poor diet and lack of physical activity leading to diabetes or a BMI of 35 or higher, indicating a potential pathway to dementia.
Additional alarming indicators include avoiding exercise, showing weakened physical strength, speed and balance, as well as shunning private health insurance plans at the same crucial age.
Other significant lifestyle factors included a lack of conscientiousness, avoiding mentally stimulating hobbies, and an extreme relationship with alcohol – either complete abstinence or excessive drinking. Limited or no work experience also featured on the list.
Additionally, certain factors beyond individual control, such as poor physical health, a history of strokes, and genetic predisposition to cognitive decline, played a role.
The study also revealed that those at risk of dementia often struggled with making financial and practical decisions.
In light of these findings, researchers suggested that adopting a lifestyle opposite to these factors could help prevent dementia and maintain cognitive function in old age.
This includes staying physically active, engaged in hobbies, and mentally stimulated through work or other activities even in retirement.
Furthermore, the study emphasized the importance of providing access to resources for early diagnosis and treatment for those at higher risk of developing dementia.
Neurologist Clifford Segil welcomed the study as a “refreshing” departure from the usual emphasis on medication as the sole means of delaying dementia onset.
In a revelation to Medical News Today, he highlighted the importance of lifestyle adjustments for those aiming to ward off memory loss and dementia: “This paper advised performing physical exercise, working additional years, engaging in hobbies and novel information activities after retirement, and maintaining good physical health are likely to prevent someone from developing dementia. I think these lifestyle modifications should be shared with anyone trying to avoid getting memory loss or dementia as they age.”
