An individual's risk of developing dementia can be reduced by making key lifestyle changes, according to new research.
Adults aged 60 and above could lessen their chances of having the condition if they make healthy choices when it comes to physical exercise, social interaction, leisure activities, sleep quality, smoking status and alcohol consumption.
The latest dementia news suggests that in the next five years, a blood test could be used to detect Alzheimer's disease in over 50s before symptoms appear.
Lead authors of the study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders suggested that observing various lifestyle choices can be proactive in reducing the risk of cognitive decline.
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'A healthier lifestyle is associated with a significantly reduced risk of early cognitive decline'
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They said: "A healthier lifestyle is associated with a significantly reduced risk of early cognitive decline, but lifestyle changes can't be piecemeal.
"The most beneficial protective effect is seen when clustering multiple lifestyle factors together, showing just how powerful exercise, socialising, sleeping, and healthy consumption habits are in combination."
The new study sought to discover to what extent an active integrated lifestyle can offset cognitive decline caused by cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs).
Examples of CMDs include heart attack, stroke, diabetes, insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Lifestyle factors that could ultimately affect cognitive decline
- Physical exercise
- Social interaction
- Leisure activities
- Sleep quality
- Stop smoking
- Be mindful alcohol consumption
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Your smoking status could affect your risk of cognitive decline
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In this study, the lifestyle factors of 2,537 dementia-free elderly aged 60 and above were collected. All participants were from the PINDEC (Prevention and Intervention on Neurodegenerative Disease for the Elderly in China) Project.
Participants were given an overall lifestyle score in which each of the six factors contributed one point.
The research found that each one-point increase in the participants' overall lifestyle score correlated with an 18 per cent decreased risk of early cognitive decline.
This comes as research shows that over 65s who sleep less than five hours a night are more likely to develop dementia.