Habits Potentially Reduced Risk of Dementia for Type 2 Diabetes Sufferers
type2 diabetes can increase the risk of dementia, but a recent study suggests that certain lifestyle choices can help reduce this risk.
For people curious about ways to reduce their risk of developing dementia, especially those with type 2 diabetes, this study sheds some light. According to researchers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine in China, healthy lifestyle habits can significantly lower dementia risk, particularly for those with diabetes.
Demystifying dementia and its risk factors
Dementia is a widespread condition characterized by the loss of cognitive abilities, such as memory, thinking, and reasoning. It primarily impacts older adults and can lead to difficulty performing daily activities.
Some risk factors for dementia are out of our control, like genetics and aging. However, there are modifiable risk factors, including tobacco use, obesity, and excessive alcohol consumption—all of which are known risk factors for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.
Type 2 diabetes is also a risk factor for dementia. People with diabetes can work with their healthcare providers to manage their condition and improve their overall health.
Lifestyle choices for dementia prevention
Researchers in this study examined the impact of seven healthy lifestyle habits on dementia risk. Seven fundamental lifestyle habits include:
- not currently smoking
- moderate alcohol consumption
- regular exercise
- eating a nutritious diet
- getting adequate sleep
- minimizing sedentary behavior
- having frequent social interactions
The researchers relied on data from the U.K. Biobank, which included participants aged 60 and older without dementia at the study's start. They focused on people with type 2 diabetes and excluded individuals with type 1 diabetes from their data collection.
The participants received a healthy lifestyle score based on their commitment to each of the above seven behavior factors. For instance, anyone categorized as being regularly active logged 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week.
The study surveyed over 160,000 participants, with more than 12,000 diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The study followed participants for an average of 12 years, finding a correlation between healthy lifestyle factors and a reduced risk of dementia. This link was even stronger among people with diabetes.
Dr. Yingli Lu, one of the study's authors, shared with Medical News Today:
"Our findings emphasize that even though people with diabetes have a higher risk of developing dementia, adopting a healthy lifestyle can considerably decrease this risk."
Furthermore, non-study author and Alzheimer's researcher, Dr. Jeroen Mahieu, noted to Medical News Today:
"The significant finding in this study is that adopting a healthy lifestyle notably reduces the risk of developing dementia among diabetes patients, even more so than among those without diabetes."
However, the study had several limitations, such as potential errors in self-reported lifestyle information, missing data, and the possibility of unknown confounding factors. Despite these limitations, the study's findings highlight the importance of promoting healthy lifestyle habits for individuals with type 2 diabetes.
Dr. Lu continued to explain to Medical News Today:
"Our results could have important implications for healthcare professionals treating people with diabetes. They should consider recommending lifestyle changes to help manage both their patients' overall health and potentially lower their risk of dementia."
Sources:
- Alzheimer Society Canada - Alzheimer Disease
- Alzheimer's Association - What Is Dementia?
- American Diabetes Association - What Is Diabetes?
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health - How to Prevent Alzheimer's Disease
- Mayo Clinic - Type 2 diabetes: Prevention and risk reduction
- The study at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine investigates the impact of healthy lifestyle habits on dementia risk, particularly for individuals with type 2 diabetes.
- Dementia is a widespread condition, affecting cognitive abilities such as memory, thinking, and reasoning, primarily impacting older adults who may struggle with daily activities.
- Seventeen fundamental lifestyle habits evaluated in the study comprise not smoking, practicing moderate alcohol consumption, regular exercise, eating a nutritious diet, getting adequate sleep, minimizing sedentary behavior, having frequent social interactions, and other health-and-wellness practices.
- People with type 2 diabetes can benefit from a lower dementia risk by committing to these healthy lifestyle habits, as suggested by the researchers' study findings.
- Mental health, therapies-and-treatments, and fitness-and-exercise play critical roles in the seven lifestyle habits identified to lower dementia risk, as they contribute to overall well-being and healthy aging.
- Paxlovid, a medical treatment, is not directly related to the seven healthy lifestyle factors that the study evaluated to reduce dementia risk, but maintaining good health and managing chronic diseases is important for overall wellness and chronic-disease management.
- In addition to genetic and age-related factors, other modifiable risk factors for dementia include tobacco use, obesity, excessive alcohol consumption, and pre-existing medical-conditions like type 2 diabetes.
- While the study has limitations, such as self-reported errors, missing data, and potential unknown confounding factors, its findings underscore the importance of promoting healthy lifestyle changes to reduce dementia risk, especially for those with type 2 diabetes.
