Altering Type 2 Diabetes Pattern: Adopting Seven Practices Possibly Reduces Dementia Risk
Revised Article:
- Lower your risk for dementia, even if you have type 2 diabetes.
- Adopting certain healthy lifestyle habits can safeguard your brain.
- A recent study in Neurology reveals promising findings.
Dementia, a brain disorder that impairs a person's memory, thinking, and reasoning, can be frustrating and debilitating. Due to the lack of a cure, many people want to know potential ways to minimize their risk. A groundbreaking study published in Neurology points out that maintaining a handful of healthy habits can significantly reduce the risk of developing dementia for both those with and without type 2 diabetes.
Dementia: Understanding the Risks
Dementia is an umbrella term for various brain disorders. As it progresses, it often disrupts an individual's daily life and independence. Although aging and family history are unalterable risk factors, other factors are modifiable. For instance, tobacco use, obesity, and excessive alcohol consumption contribute to the risk of Alzheimer's disease, a leading cause of dementia.
Type 2 diabetes, another risk factor for dementia, raises concerns, particularly because diabetes management is a continuous process. Fortunately, research is ongoing to understand how lifestyle improvements may make a difference.
Healthy Lifestyle Habits and Dementia Risk
In the current study, researchers analyzed seven healthy habits that could potentially lower dementia risk. These habits included:
- Quitting smoking
- Moderate alcohol consumption
- Regular exercise
- Balanced diet
- Adequate sleep
- Less time spent being sedentary
- Frequent social interaction
To evaluate the participants' adherence to these habits, the researchers utilized the UK Biobank, which included older participants without dementia at the study's onset. They specifically excluded type 1 diabetics to focus on those with type 2 diabetes.
Based on a healthy lifestyle score, participants were assigned a rating for each behavioral factor. For instance, someone was considered physically active if they engaged in at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise weekly.
The research included over 160,000 participants, more than 12,000 of whom were diabetic. The study followed participants for approximately 12 years and discovered that those who maintained healthy lifestyle habits experienced a lower risk of developing dementia. This risk reduction was even more pronounced among those with diabetes.
Expert Perspectives on the Findings
Dr. Yingli Lu, Ph.D., of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine in China, who led the study, explained to Medical News Today:
"Our findings indicate that, compared to those without diabetes, people with diabetes who follow a healthy lifestyle have a lower chance of developing dementia. This is significant given the higher dementia prevalence in the diabetic population."
Jeroen Mahieu, Ph.D., an Alzheimer's researcher who was not a part of the study, reinforced the findings but added a note of caution:
"While our data suggests that adhering to a healthy lifestyle significantly lowers the risk of dementia for patients with diabetes, we should be cautious in interpreting these findings as conclusive. Nonetheless, incorporating healthy lifestyle habits can be beneficial for overall well-being and may contribute to preventing or delaying the onset of dementia in diabetic individuals."
Limitations and Future Research
Although the study underlines the potential benefits of adopting healthy lifestyle habits, it is not flawless. For instance, lifestyle behavior data were self-reported, increasing the risk of errors. Additionally, the study did not collect data on the evolution of lifestyle behaviors or analyze lifestyle factors before the diagnosis of diabetes.
Several participants were excluded due to missing data, which may have impacted the study's results as they were more likely to have lower education and socioeconomic standing. Furthermore, the risk of misclassifying diabetes or prediabetic patients as diabetes-free was a possibility because the study only had baseline data.
Finally, although the researchers adjusted for various factors, there could be unidentified or unmeasured confounders, and the study sample primarily consisted of Caucasian participants, necessitating further research involving a more diverse demographic.
However, the study reinforces the importance of promoting healthy lifestyle habits for overall health, potentially reducing the risk of dementia in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Future research should investigate the combined impact of healthy lifestyle behaviors on cognitive outcomes and explore possible underlying mechanisms.
- Despite the progression of dementia causing disruptions to a person's daily life and independence, maintaining a healthy lifestyle can lower the risk.
- A recent study published in Neurology investigated seven healthy habits that may reduce the risk of developing dementia, focusing on those with type 2 diabetes.
- Adopting regular exercise, a healthy habit included in the study, can lower the risk of dementia for individuals with and without type 2 diabetes.
- A balanced diet is one of the seven healthy habits that can potentially lower the risk of dementia, as stated in the Neurology study.
- To remain independent, it is essential to maintain adequate sleep, a habit identified in the Neurology study as beneficial for lowering dementia risk.
- Less time spent being sedentary, such as being glued to a screen, is another important habit for reducing the risk of dementia, as per the findings of the Neurology study.
- Frequent social interaction is a key habit that may lower dementia risk, as suggested by the conducted study and discussed by experts.
- The study found that those with type 2 diabetes who adhered to a healthy lifestyle had a lower chance of developing dementia.
- Jeroen Mahieu, an Alzheimer's researcher, emphasized the importance of interpreting the study findings with caution, acknowledging the potential benefits of adopting healthy lifestyle habits.
- Future research should investigate the combined impact of healthy lifestyle behaviors on cognitive outcomes to further understand the mechanisms behind their dementia risk reduction.
- Promoting healthy lifestyle habits, such as exercise, balanced diet, adequate sleep, less sedentary time, and frequent social interaction, may contribute to preventing or delaying the onset of dementia in diabetic individuals. Additionally, addressing mental health, nutrition, and fitness-and-exercise are essential aspects of maintaining overall health and wellness. Furthermore, CBD, a component found in cannabis plants, has shown promising benefits in managing chronic diseases like type-2 diabetes and mental health conditions, warranting further investigation in its potential role in dementia prevention.
