People who maintain normal blood pressure, avoid diabetes and do not smoke during middle age may spend significantly more years of their lives without dementia, according to new research.
The study, published on August 5 in Neurology Open Access, examined more than 12,000 participants who were followed for an average of 26 years. Researchers found that those without the three identified risk factors lived nearly 13 years longer without dementia than people who smoked, had high blood pressure and had diabetes.
The findings add to growing evidence that several factors affecting heart and blood vessel health may also influence cognitive health later in life.
Dr Josef Coresh, founding director of the Optimal Aging Institute at NYU Langone and a senior investigator on the study, said dementia can have a major effect on quality of life. He noted that research increasingly points to vascular health as an important area for dementia prevention.
The participants were middle-aged when the research began and did not have dementia. Their blood pressure, diabetes status and smoking habits were assessed at the beginning of the study.
Researchers found that each additional risk factor was associated with fewer expected years of life without dementia. However, the study does not establish that smoking, diabetes or high blood pressure directly cause dementia. The researchers also acknowledged that the analysis measured the risk factors only at the beginning, meaning later changes such as quitting smoking or developing health problems were not fully captured.
The findings come as health authorities continue to focus on potentially preventable contributors to dementia. The World Health Organization updated its guidance on modifiable dementia risk factors in July, highlighting measures such as avoiding smoking and managing high blood pressure and diabetes.
Other factors associated with lower dementia risk include regular physical activity, maintaining social connections, keeping the brain active, eating a balanced diet and managing cholesterol and weight. Reducing alcohol consumption, addressing hearing loss and limiting exposure to air pollution may also play a role.
The WHO has estimated that addressing a broad range of modifiable risk factors could prevent or delay a substantial share of dementia cases.
Dementia affects more than 57 million people worldwide and remains a major public health concern. Age continues to be the strongest known risk factor, while genetics and other personal characteristics also influence an individual’s chances of developing the condition.
Researchers stressed that dementia cannot always be prevented. However, the latest findings suggest that maintaining healthier habits and controlling conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes during the 40s, 50s and 60s may help people spend more years living without cognitive decline.
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