Lowering Dementia Risk for Type 2 Diabetes Sufferers Through Adopting These 7 Habits
While dementia doesn't have a cure, adopting certain healthy lifestyle choices could lower your risk, especially if you have type 2 diabetes. Researchers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine in China studied the impact of 7 healthy habits on dementia risk in individuals with and without diabetes. Here's what you need to know about their findings.
Dementia: Risk Factors and Lifestyle Factors
Dementia, a collective term for disorders affecting memory, thinking, and reasoning, typically worsens over time. Risk factors include increasing age and family history, which cannot be modified. However, lifestyle factors can be improved to reduce risk. Smoking, obesity, excessive alcohol consumption, and diabetes are all risk factors for Alzheimer's and related dementias.
With over 160,000 participants, including more than 12,000 with diabetes, the study found that adopting healthy lifestyle habits was associated with a lower risk of developing dementia. The impact was even more significant in individuals with diabetes.
Healthy Lifestyle Factors for Reducing Dementia Risk
The researchers examined the effect of 7 healthy lifestyle habits on dementia risk:
- Quitting smoking: Reducing or quitting smoking can improve brain health and lower dementia risk.
- Moderate alcohol consumption: Limiting alcohol consumption to a low to moderate level can have a protective effect against dementia.
- Regular exercise: Regular physical activity, such as walking, jogging, or cycling, helps reduce the risk of dementia. Aim for at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of high-intensity exercise.
- Healthy diet: Consuming a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats, and limited processed foods supports overall health and brain function, potentially reducing dementia risk.
- Quality sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night and address any sleep disorders as poor sleep can contribute to dementia risk.
- Less sedentary behavior: Regularly break up periods of prolonged sitting by getting up and moving around to reduce sedentary time, which contributes to dementia risk.
- Frequent social contact: Engaging in social activities can help stimulate the brain and lower dementia risk. Connect with friends, family, or community groups regularly.
Additional Considerations for Type 2 Diabetes
For people with type 2 diabetes, it's crucial to manage blood sugar levels effectively, as uncontrolled diabetes increases dementia risk. Regular monitoring and adherence to prescribed treatments are essential. In addition, engaging in mentally stimulating activities, such as learning a new skill or playing a musical instrument, can help maintain cognitive function and potentially reduce dementia risk.
Study Limitations and Future Research
While the study suggests that adopting healthy habits can lower dementia risk, particularly for people with diabetes, it had some limitations. For instance, lifestyle behavior data was self-reported, increasing the risk of data collection errors. Future research should collect more diverse participant data to better understand how lifestyle habits affect dementia risk across different population groups.
Despite the limitations, the study provides valuable insights into preventing dementia through healthy lifestyle habits. Consult your healthcare provider for personalized recommendations to lower your dementia risk.
References
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- The study found that adopting healthy lifestyle habits is associated with a lower risk of developing dementia, particularly for individuals with type 2 diabetes.
- Quitting smoking can improve brain health and lower dementia risk, making it one of the healthy lifestyle habits in the study.
- Moderate alcohol consumption, as opposed to excessive drinking, can have a protective effect against dementia, according to the research.
- Regular exercise reduces the risk of dementia, with the study recommending at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of high-intensity exercise.
- A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats, and limited processed foods supports overall health and brain function, potentially reducing dementia risk.
- For individuals with type 2 diabetes, effectively managing blood sugar levels is crucial as uncontrolled diabetes increases dementia risk.
- Engaging in mentally stimulating activities, such as learning a new skill or playing a musical instrument, can help maintain cognitive function and potentially reduce dementia risk.
- The study suggests that frequent social contact can help stimulate the brain and lower dementia risk, making it another beneficial lifestyle factor.
