Lowering Dementia Risk for Type 2 Diabetes Sufferers: Adopting These 7 Habits Could Make a Difference
Revised Article:
Dementia isn't something to take lightly. It's a progressive disorder that impacts memory, thinking, and reasoning, often leaving individuals struggling with everyday tasks and living independently. While factors like age and family history are unchangeable, there are lifestyle factors that can be modified to decrease the risk of developing dementia.
Type 2 diabetes is a significant risk factor for dementia. Yet, interestingly, research is suggesting that for diabetic individuals, adopting certain healthy habits can significantly lower the risk. A recent study, published in Neurology, has shone some light on these practices.
Dementia Risks and Lifestyle Factors
Dementia is an umbrella term for a range of disorders that negatively impact cognitive abilities. It's most common in older adults, but it can affect people of any age.
Smoking, obesity, excessive alcohol use, and type 2 diabetes are all risk factors for dementia, particularly Alzheimer's disease. However, other lifestyle factors can be managed to keep these conditions at bay.
In the case of type 2 diabetes, working closely with a healthcare professional to manage the condition effectively can help reduce the risk of dementia. Research is ongoing regarding how lifestyle adaptations can improve diabetes management and reduce dementia risk.
Type 2 Diabetes, Dementia, and Healthy Habits
For this study, researchers investigated seven lifestyle habits and their impact on dementia risk. They looked into both people with diabetes and those without, examining behaviors such as:
- Not smoking
- Moderate alcohol consumption
- Regular physical activity
- Healthy diet
- Adequate sleep
- Less sedentary behavior
- Frequent social contact
The research team utilized the U.K. Biobank as their data source. They selected participants aged 60 and older, excluding those with type 1 diabetes to focus on type 2 diabetes cases.
Each lifestyle factor was defined, and participants were assigned a score based on these definitions. For instance, someone who engaged in at least 150 minutes per week of moderate activity or 75 minutes per week of vigorous activity (or a combination thereof) was considered as being physically active regularly.
The study included more than 160,000 participants, with over 12,000 having diabetes. Over an average period of 12 years, the researchers found that adopting healthy lifestyle practices was associated with a reduced risk of developing dementia. This association was even stronger among people with diabetes.
Dr. Yingli Lu, Ph.D., the study's author from Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine in China, explained these findings to Medical News Today:
"While diabetes patients do have a higher risk of developing dementia compared to those without diabetes, adhering to a healthy lifestyle can significantly reduce this risk."
Dr. Jeroen Mahieu, Ph.D., a non-study author specializing in Alzheimer's research, highlighted the importance of these findings:
"The crucial takeaway from this study is that a healthy lifestyle substantially reduces the risk of dementia for diabetes patients, even more than non-diabetic individuals. This is important given the prevalence of dementia among diabetes patients, but the effects should be interpreted with caution due to the nature of the data collection."
Study Limitations and Future Research
The study revealed that adopting healthy lifestyle habits can potentially decrease the risk of dementia, particularly for people with type 2 diabetes. However, the study also has its limitations.
First, lifestyle information was self-reported, potentially leading to data collection errors. Additionally, the initial data on lifestyle habits was collected only once and did not account for lifestyle factor changes throughout the study period. Lastly, the study did not include data on lifestyle factors before diabetes diagnosis.
Furthermore, the researchers excluded participants based on missing data, who were more likely to have lower education and socioeconomic status. This may have influenced the outcomes. Factors such as potential misclassification of diabetes or prediabetes cases, as well as the impact of unknown or unmeasured variables, were also acknowledged.
Lastly, the study had a predominantly Caucasian participant demographic, meaning that future research with more diverse groups will be necessary.
Despite these limitations, the study provides valuable additional insight into the influence of lifestyle choices on health. Dr. Lu stated to Medical News Today:
"Our findings may have important implications for doctors, who should consider recommending lifestyle changes for their diabetes patients. Such changes can lead to overall health improvements and potentially help prevent or delay the onset of dementia in diabetes patients. Further research is needed to determine how multiple healthy lifestyle behaviors can positively impact cognitive outcomes in people with diabetes and the possible mechanisms behind these effects."
Beyond the standard lifestyle recommendations, ongoing research is highlighting additional factors that may help reduce dementia risk for type 2 diabetes patients:
- Diabetes Medications: Certain diabetes medications like GLP-1RAs and SGLT2is may have a protective effect against dementia by reducing cognitive decline in comparison to other glucose-lowering therapies.
- Managing Blood Pressure and Blood Sugar: While not as powerful as physical activity, controlling blood pressure and blood sugar levels can contribute to reducing dementia risk.
- Lifestyle Interventions with Support: Family caregivers play a crucial role in helping patients with mild cognitive impairment adopt lifestyle changes that reduce dementia risk. Factors such as support, health beliefs, and caregiver lifestyle can impact the effectiveness of these interventions.
- Nutritious Diet Beyond General Recommendations: Beyond a healthy diet, specific diets like the Mediterranean or MIND diet, which emphasize fruits, leafy green vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins, can help manage cholesterol levels, reduce inflammation, and lower blood pressure, potentially reducing dementia risk.
- Engagement in Cognitive Stimulating Activities: Activities that challenge the mind, such as learning new skills or hobbies, can also benefit brain health and potentially reduce dementia risk.
Together, these factors, along with standard lifestyle recommendations, may amplify the benefits for reducing dementia risk in individuals with type 2 diabetes.
- Individuals with dementia, especially Alzheimers, often struggle with everyday tasks, making independence challenging.
- Lifestyle factors, such as smoking, obesity, excessive alcohol use, and type 2 diabetes, are risk factors for dementia.
- Adopting healthy habits can significantly lower the risk of dementia, especially for diabetic individuals.
- The contextual impact of lifestyle adaptations on diabetes management and reduced dementia risk is an area of ongoing scientific research.
- The recent study in Neurology examined the association of seven healthy lifestyle behaviors with dementia risk, considering both diabetic and non-diabetic individuals.
- Participants were assigned scores based on definitions of each lifestyle factor, such as regular physical activity and a healthy diet.
- Naive to the study, Dr. Jeroen Mahieu emphasized the importance of these findings, highlighting the significant reduction in dementia risk for diabetes patients.
- Dementia patients with diabetes who follow a health-and-wellness regimen that includes fitness-and-exercise, mental-health, nutrition, and chronic-diseases management are likely to see benefits in cognitive functioning.
- Prediabetes, along with being a risk factor for type-2 diabetes, may also be a risk factor for dementia, making early detection and intervention crucial.
- Additionally, medical-conditions like Paxlovid, currently used for COVID-19 treatment, may have potential mechanisms that could contribute to the prevention and management of dementia in the future.
