A study by researchers at the San Francisco VA Medical Center found that over half of all Alzheimer’s cases could potentially be prevented through early symptom detection and lifestyle changes in patients.
For her study, Dr. Deborah Barnes examined data from multiple studies involving hundreds of thousands of patients around the world. After analyzing the data, Barnes concluded that there were many modifiable risk factors associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Those factors, in descending order of magnitude, are:
- Low education
- Smoking
- Physical inactivity
- Depression
- Mid-life Hypertension
- Diabetes
- Mid-Life Obesity
Among cases in the United States, Barnes said physical inactivity, depression and smoking were the three largest modifiable risk factors associated with the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
Preventable Cases
When the risk factors are combined, they account for up to 51% of all Alzheimer’s cases worldwide and 54% in the United States. Barnes said the findings are crucial in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease.
“What’s exciting is that this suggests that some very simple lifestyle changes, such as increasing physical activity and quitting smoking, could have a tremendous impact on preventing Alzheimer’s and other dementias in the United States and worldwide,” said Barnes.
Although encouraging, Barnes stated that her findings were based on the assumption that there exists a causal link between each risk factor and the disease.
“We are assuming that when you change the risk factor, then you change the risk,” Barnes said. “What we need to do now is figure out whether that assumption is correct.”
Activity, Healthy Habits Key
A quick look at Barnes’ list reveals the importance of maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle. Four of the risk factors can be caused by lack of exercise, and studies have shown that physical activity can elevate your mood, decreasing the likelihood of depression.
The other two risk factors are lifestyle choices that anyone can pursue. Quitting smoking can be hard, but it’s a choice you should make if you’re serious about your health. And while not everyone may have the financial means to seek a higher education, you can still challenge your brain by reading books and solving puzzles.
Dr. Silverman comments
This is a very interesting article. I’ve said time and time again the best way to combat a disease is by taking steps to prevent it from occurring in the first place. The more we know about prevention, the better.
Related source: ScienceDaily.com