Your Lifestyle & Your Dementia Risk

Lisa Franchi April 05, 2016

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Dementia is one of the major health concerns in the world today. Dementia affects a person’s mental agility, thinking abilities, understanding and language. This mental disorder refers to a group of related symptoms that are associated with an ongoing mental decline which gets worse over time. People who have dementia would forget most things - both past and present memories. They even tend to fail to recognise their loved ones and forget how to do things, even the most basic ones like taking a bath. 

The effects of dementia in a person’s quality of life is so severe. In fact, it has taken the place of cancer as the most feared disease. Treatments available today don’t actually cure the illness, rather delay its progression or alleviate the symptoms. 

There are over 100 forms of dementia, but the most common is Alzheimer’ disease. It occurs when abnormal proteins build up in the brain, leading to memory loss and loss of connections between cells. Alzheimer’s currently affect 520,000 people in Britain. The other common form of dementia is called vascular dementia wherein brain cells die due to restriction in the brain’s blood supply as a result of a stroke or because the brain’s blood vessels have become diseased. It affects some 150,000 people in the UK. 

In the latest study by the World Dementia Council, researchers identified several risk factors for the disease: 

Obesity 

Obesity has been strongly linked to dementia. It is believed that some harmful hormones released by excess fats in the body damage brain cells. Being overweight also raises the risk of high blood pressure, bad cholesterol and clogging of arteries - raising the risk of vascular dementia. 

High-Sugar Diet 

A high-sugar diet causes imbalance in a person’s insulin level - the hormone which plays a role in brain signaling. Excess sugar in the blood damages the blood vessels, including those in the brain.  

Lack of Brain Exercise 

Research has shown over again that keeping the brain active, whether through mentally challenging activities, social interactions or continued education is one of the best ways to keep it sharp. One study published in The New England Journal of Medicine suggests that higher levels of education may help more people stave off dementia for longer. Other research shows that learning a new language or a musical instrument can greatly enhance memory and other cognitive skills. 

Being Sedentary 

People who don’t get enough exercise are more likely to develop dementia. In a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, researchers found that regular aerobic exercise appears to boost the size of the hippocampus, the brain area involved in verbal memory and learning. 

Stress 

Stress is a silent killer. Not only does it increase your risk of heart disease and cancer, it also makes you more likely to develop Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia in the future. A study by University of Southampton determined chronic stress as a risk factor for the development. Everyone goes through stressful moments in life. Learning how to manage stress effectively is essential.