A major study from NYU Langone Health reveals that maintaining normal blood pressure, avoiding diabetes, and not smoking from age 45 to 65 can delay dementia onset by more than a decade. The research followed over 12,000 people for an average of 26 years.
Study Details and Key Findings
The study tracked 12,409 dementia-free individuals starting at age 55. Participants were assessed for high blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking, and followed for an average of 26 years. During this period, 3,008 developed dementia, while 5,238 died without the condition.
Those with none of the three risk factors lived nearly 13 years longer without dementia compared to those with all three. Specifically, from age 55, individuals with no risk factors had an average of 30.1 dementia-free years, while those with one, two, or three risk factors had 26.3, 21, and just over 17 years respectively.
Expert Commentary
Senior investigator Dr Josef Coresh, director of the Optimal Aging Institute at NYU Langone, said: "Our findings argue that people need to actively avert these factors in midlife as a strategy for preserving brain health for up to 13 years."
The study states: "Individuals with no midlife vascular risk factors lived an average of 13 more dementia-free survival years compared to those with three risk factors. Vascular risk factors – including diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure) and smoking – are well-established contributors to dementia risk. These factors often emerge in midlife and exert lasting effects on neurodegenerative pathology, underscoring the critical importance of early identification and management."
Broader Implications
The research also found that women lived longer without dementia than men, and white people had more dementia-free years than black people, regardless of risk factor count. Previous studies have linked lifestyle choices in midlife, such as exercise, not smoking, moderating alcohol intake, and avoiding social isolation, to reduced dementia risk.
Reacting to the findings, Dr Jacqui Hanley, head of research funding at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: "Rather than focusing only on the chances of developing dementia, this study asks a question that matters to people: how long can we expect to live free from dementia?" She added: "These findings emphasise why it’s so important to look after your heart health as well as your brain health. Alzheimer’s Research UK’s Think Brain Health campaign encourages everyone to take practical steps to do just that, including staying physically active, not smoking, and managing conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes."
"While there is no guaranteed way to prevent dementia, research, including this study, suggests that addressing risk factors for poor cardiovascular health may also help reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia."
