A study of over 12,000 people suggests that maintaining normal blood pressure, avoiding diabetes, and not smoking between ages 45 and 65 can delay dementia by an average of 13 years.
Key Findings
Researchers from NYU Langone Health in the US followed 12,409 dementia-free participants aged 55 for an average of 26 years. During that time, 3,008 developed dementia and 5,238 died without dementia.
Those with none of the three risk factors lived an average of 30.1 more years without dementia from age 55, compared to just over 17 years for those with all three. Having one risk factor meant 26.3 extra dementia-free years, and two risk factors meant 21 years.
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 more than a decade.”
The study, published in Neurology, noted that vascular risk factors like diabetes, hypertension, and smoking are well-established contributors to dementia risk. These factors often emerge in midlife and have lasting effects.
Broader Implications
Women lived longer without dementia than men, and white people had more dementia-free years than black people, regardless of risk factors.
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 emphasized the importance of heart health for brain health.
Dr Richard Oakley, associate director of research and innovation at Alzheimer’s Society, added: “This study adds to growing evidence that looking after our heart health in midlife may help us live more years free from dementia.”
