Altering or reducing the risk of dementia for individuals with type 2 diabetes can potentially be achieved by adhering to seven specific habits:
Diabetes sufferers might find themselves at an elevated risk for dementia, but researchers are still working to pinpoint how lifestyle factors can influence this risk. A recent study revealed that people with type two diabetes may experience a lower risk of dementia if they embrace certain healthier choices.
Dementia and its risk factors
Dementia encompasses various disorders impacting an individual's ability to remember, think, and reason. Progressive and often severe, dementia significantly disrupts daily life and may limit independence. Essential risk factors include advanced age, family history, smoking, obesity, excessive alcohol consumption, and diabetes, particularly type two.
Type 2 diabetes, dementia, and lifestyle factors
Researchers in this study investigated the effect of seven healthy habits on dementia risk. These habits included:
- Abstaining from smoking
- Moderate alcohol consumption
- Regular physical activity
- A balanced diet
- Adequate sleep
- Minimizing sedentary behavior
- Frequent social interactions
The researchers employed the U.K. Biobank for data collection, reviewing participants aged 60 or older without dementia at the study's onset. People with type one diabetes were excluded to primarily focus on individuals with type two diabetes.
The researchers allocated participants a healthy lifestyle score based on these seven factors. A healthy lifestyle might be characterized as having "at least 150 minutes/week of moderate activity or 75 minutes/week of vigorous activity or an equivalent combination."
Over 160,000 participants took part in the study, including more than 12,000 with diabetes. Over a 12-year follow-up, researchers found that adhering to healthy lifestyle habits was associated with a lower risk of dementia – a risk reduction more pronounced among individuals with diabetes.
Dr. Yingli Lu, Ph.D., from Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine in China, commented to Medical News Today:
"Our findings highlight that although patients with diabetes are at a higher risk of developing dementia later compared with those without, adherence to an overall healthy lifestyle may greatly reduce this risk."
Non-study author and Alzheimer's researcher, Dr. Jeroen Mahieu, Ph.D., noted to MNT:
"The most important finding of this study is that adhering to a healthy lifestyle substantially reduces the risk of developing dementia for diabetes patients; significantly more than when you do not have diabetes. Yet, due to the nature of the data and the research design, we should be cautious with interpreting these effects as causal."
Study limitations and areas for continued research
The study underscores the potential role of healthy lifestyle habits in reducing dementia risk, particularly in diabetes patients. However, the study also presents several limitations.
First, lifestyle behaviors were self-reported, increasing the risk of data collection errors. Second, baseline data on lifestyle factors was collected, with no data on lifestyle factor changes. The study did not collect data about lifetime lifestyle factors for participants before they developed diabetes.
Researchers noted that participants who had to be excluded due to missing data were more likely to have lower education and socioeconomic status, which may have influenced the results. Based on the data collection methods, the research team admitted that they may have misclassified participants with diabetes or prediabetes.
Additionally, although several confounding factors were adjusted for, unmeasured or unknown factors might remain unaccounted for. The study primarily included Caucasian participants, meaning more diverse studies will be needed in the future.
Nevertheless, the study contributes to the growing body of data regarding lifestyle choices' impact on health. Dr. Lu explained to MNT:
"Our data may have important implications for doctors, and other medical professionals who treat people with diabetes. They should consider recommending lifestyle changes to their patients. Such changes may not only improve overall health but also contribute to the prevention or delayed onset of dementia in people with diabetes. Future research is needed to determine how combined healthy lifestyle behaviors benefit cognitive outcomes in diabetes and the possible mechanisms."
- Enrichment Data:The study published in Neurology sheds light on the connection between metabolic syndrome and young-onset dementia (YOD), emphasizing factors like diabetes mellitus and unhealthy lifestyle choices. While the study itself does not provide specific lifestyle habits associated with a decreased risk of dementia for those with type 2 diabetes, general research suggests several healthy habits that may help mitigate this risk:
- Dietary Changes: A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats can help manage metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes, potentially reducing the risk of dementia.
- Physical Activity: Regular exercise, especially aerobic activity, improves cognitive function and reduces the risk of cognitive decline.
- Stress Management: Managing stress through practices like meditation or yoga may help maintain healthier metabolic profiles and cognitive function.
- Quality Sleep: Ensuring adequate sleep is essential for overall health and may contribute to reduced risk of cognitive impairment.
- Social Interactions: Maintaining strong social connections supports mental health and potentially lowers dementia risk.
- Dementia, a disorder affecting memory, thinking, and reasoning, is progressive and severe, often disrupting daily life and limiting independence.
- Risk factors for dementia include advanced age, family history, smoking, obesity, excessive alcohol consumption, and various chronic diseases, including diabetes, particularly type two.
- Researchers are investigating how certain lifestyle factors might influence the risk of dementia, specifically for those with type two diabetes.
- A recent study examined the impact of seven healthy habits on dementia risk: abstaining from smoking, moderate alcohol consumption, regular physical activity, a balanced diet, adequate sleep, minimizing sedentary behavior, and frequent social interactions.
- The study found that adhering to these healthy lifestyle habits was associated with a lower risk of dementia, with this reduction more pronounced among individuals with diabetes.
- However, the study had limitations, including self-reported lifestyle behaviors and no data on changes in lifestyle factors over time.
- Despite these limitations, the study suggests that a healthy lifestyle could substantially reduce dementia risk, particularly for diabetes patients.
- General research indicates several other healthy habits that may help mitigate the risk of dementia, such as dietary changes, physical activity, stress management, quality sleep, and maintaining social interactions.
- The study's findings could have significant implications for medical professionals treating diabetes patients, who may now consider recommending lifestyle changes to potentially prevent or delay the onset of dementia.
- Future research is needed to determine how combined healthy lifestyle behaviors benefit cognitive outcomes in diabetes and understand the possible mechanisms.
- The connection between metabolic syndrome, young-onset dementia, and unhealthy lifestyle choices is a growing area of interest in science, with ongoing research aimed at finding specific lifestyle habits associated with a decreased risk of dementia for those with type 2 diabetes.