Diabetes Type 2 and Dementia: Seven Practices That Potentially Reduce Risk for Sufferers
Dementia ain't no walk in the park, and since there's no cure for it, folks want to know what they can do to lower their chances of getting it. Recently, a study in the renowned journal Neurology found some interesting things about people with diabetes, specifically type two, and their dementia risk.
Dementia, its triggers, and the unexpected ally
Dementia is a broad term for disorders that mess with a person's memory, thinking, and reasoning skills. It usually gets worse over time, causing significant disruptions to daily life and independence. While it's true that some factors, like age and family history, can't be changed, other risks can be modified. Habits like smoking, being overweight, or excessive drinking increase the risk for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.
Type two diabetes is also a key risk factor for dementia. But here's the kicker: as researchers continue to explore this connection, it seems that maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help reduce dementia risk - even more so for people with diabetes!
Type 2 diabetes, dementia, and the power of healthy habits
In this study, researchers focused on seven healthy lifestyle practices. Here's how they stacked up:
- Kicking the cigarette habit
- Moderate drinking
- Getting moving: regular exercise
- Eating right: balanced diet
- Sleeping enough: quality Z's
- Being less sedentary: less screen time, more standing up
- Socializing often
Researchers gathered data for their investigation from the U.K. Biobank, including individuals over 60 years old who didn't have dementia when the study started. Participants with type one diabetes were excluded, leaving a focus on those with type two diabetes.
Each participant's lifestyle habits were given scores based on the seven factors listed above. For example, to be considered "regularly active," someone had to engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of intense activity weekly.
With over 160,000 participants (including more than 12,000 with diabetes), the study tracked the participants for an average of 12 years. The results showed that making healthy choices was linked to a smaller risk of developing dementia. However, this decrease was even more noticeable among those with diabetes!
Dr. Yingli Lu, Ph.D. of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine in China noted 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, adhering to an overall healthy lifestyle may greatly reduce this risk."
It's important to remember, as Jeroen Mahieu, Ph.D. (a researcher not involved in the study) pointed out to Medical News Today, "the most significant 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." But, he added, "due to the nature of the data and the research design, we should be cautious with interpreting these effects as causal."
Study limitations and future research
Although the study suggests that healthy lifestyle selections may lower dementia risk – especially for people with diabetes – it had some limitations:
- The lifestyle data was self-reported, which could lead to collection errors.
- No data was collected on changes in lifestyle habits during the study period.
- The study did not gather lifestyle data for participants before they developed diabetes.
- Researchers had to exclude participants with missing data, who were more likely to have lower education and income levels.
- It's possible that the research team misclassified some participants with diabetes or prediabetes as having no diabetes.
- Other factors that could affect results, like unknown or unmeasured factors, were not accounted for.
- The study focused mainly on Caucasian participants, so future research with a more diverse population is essential.
Despite these limitations, the study offers valuable insights into diabetes and dementia, as well as the impact that lifestyle choices have on health. Dr. Lu showed enthusiasm for the possibilities, telling Medical News Today, "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." Keep the healthy habits rolling for a better shot at brain health!
- Dementia, a condition characterized by memory loss and impaired reasoning skills, can significantly disrupt daily life and independence.
- Factors like age and family history are unchangeable, but other risks, such as smoking, excessive drinking, and poor fitness and exercise habits, can be modified.
- Type two diabetes, considered a key risk factor for dementia, can potentially be managed through healthy lifestyle choices.
- In a recent study, researchers found that adhering to seven healthy lifestyle practices helped reduce dementia risk, especially for people with type two diabetes.
- These seven practices included quitting smoking, moderate drinking, regular exercise, a balanced diet, adequate sleep, less screen time and more physical activity, and regular socializing.
- Dr. Yingli Lu from Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine emphasized that maintaining a healthy lifestyle could significantly reduce dementia risk for people with type two diabetes.
- However, the study had limitations, including self-reported lifestyle data, lack of data on changes in habits over time, and a focus on Caucasian participants, necessitating further research with a more diverse population.
