What are the 'six healthy lifestyle habits' that reduce the risk of dementia by 90%?



As we get older, our memory declines, which can interfere with many aspects of our daily lives. A Chinese research team found that by incorporating as many of the ``six lifestyle habits that lead to health'' as possible from data that tracked the elderly for 10 years, it is possible to slow down the decline in memory power associated with aging and reduce the risk of dementia. I reported that I could.

Association between healthy lifestyle and memory decline in older adults: 10 year, population based, prospective cohort study | The BMJ

https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2022-072691

Six lifestyle choices to slow memory decline named in 10-year study | Memory | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/jan/25/six-lifestyle-choices-to-slow-memory-decline-named-in-10-year-study

Remembering something is a basic function of daily life, but memory declines with age, which adversely affects quality of life and increases the risk of dementia. . Therefore, the research team of the China National Neurological Disorders Research Center tracked more than 29,000 adults over the age of 60 living in China `` China Cognition and Aging Study '' data analyzed and investigated the association between a healthy lifestyle and poor memory.

In the China Cognition and Aging Study, adults aged 60 years and older who had normal cognitive abilities at baseline in 2009 were asked to undergo regular 10-year assessments of memory decline and lifestyle. A survey was conducted. Also, at the start of the study, the APOE gene , which is a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, was also checked.



The research team focused on six health measures: ``healthy diet'', ``regular exercise'', ``active social contact'', ``regular cognitive activity'', ``non-smoker'', and ``not drinking alcohol''. We assessed how many of these subjects were practicing based on their typical lifestyle. The lifestyle evaluation criteria are as follows.

・Healthy diet: 7 or more items of fruit, vegetables, fish, meat, dairy products, salt, oil, eggs, grains, legumes, nuts, and tea are consumed per day.
• Regular exercise: Whether you get 150 minutes or more of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes or more of vigorous activity per week.
Active social contact: Whether you participate in social activities at least twice a week, such as attending meetings or parties, meeting friends or relatives, traveling, or chatting online.
• Regular cognitive activity: Whether or not you engage in cognitive activities such as writing, reading, playing cards, mahjong, or other games at least twice a week.
• Being a nonsmoker: Whether you have smoked less than 100 cigarettes in your lifetime, or whether you quit smoking more than 3 years ago.
・Do not drink alcohol: Whether you rarely drink alcohol or if you drink it infrequently.

Based on the above criteria, the research team classified subjects who applied 4 to 6 items as ``healthy desirable lifestyles,'' subjects who applied 2 to 3 items as ``average lifestyles,'' and subjects who applied only 0 to 1 items as ``. categorized as unhealthy lifestyle. They also considered whether they were carriers of risk factors for Alzheimer's disease based on APOE gene test results, and analyzed the association between memory decline and these healthy lifestyles.



The analysis found that each healthy lifestyle was associated with a slower rate of memory decline over the decade. In particular, ``healthy diet'' had the strongest effect on delaying memory loss, followed by ``regular cognitive activity'' and ``regular exercise''.

Overall, subjects with a ``healthy lifestyle'' that practiced 4-6 items were more likely to have dementia or 90% less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment. Subjects with an 'average lifestyle' who practiced 2-3 items also reported a 30% lower risk of dementia or mild cognitive impairment compared to subjects with an 'unhealthy lifestyle'. It has been.

In addition, subjects who were at high risk of Alzheimer's disease in the APOE gene test also said that the more they practiced a healthy lifestyle, the slower the decline in memory.

Dr Susan Mitchell, policy director at

Alzheimer's Research UK , said: ``This is a well-conducted study that followed people over time and showed that healthy lifestyles were more beneficial to older people. 'It adds substantial evidence that it helps support memory and thinking skills in people.' said.



in Science, Posted by log1h_ik