Reducing the Chance of Dementia for Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes: 7 Practices to Follow
People with type 2 diabetes may be at a reduced risk of dementia with healthy lifestyle choices.
Dementia, a condition that impairs memory, thinking, and reasoning, is a significant concern for many people. While you can’t completely eliminate the risk, research indicates that people with diabetes may reduce their chances of developing dementia by adopting certain healthy habits.
A recent study in the journal Neurology found that for individuals with diabetes, practicing specific lifestyle habits lowers the risk of dementia. These habits include:
- Staying active: Incorporating regular physical activity into your daily routine is crucial. Your doctor may recommend aiming for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week.
- Mindful drinking: Moderate alcohol consumption, within the guidelines of one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men, could potentially reduce dementia risk.
- Eating right: Adopting a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats is essential. Consult a dietitian for personalized advice.
- Sound sleep: Aim for approximately 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Good sleep hygiene can help maintain a healthy balance.
- Limiting inactivity: Minimizing extended periods of inactivity, such as sitting for long hours, is also beneficial for overall health.
- Socializing: Regular social interaction is important for mental health and cognitive function.
Researchers from the U.K. Biobank, which provided data for this study, examined these healthy lifestyle habits in participants 60 years and older without dementia at the beginning of the study. They specifically focused on individuals with type 2 diabetes. The study followed participants for an average of 12 years, finding that healthy lifestyle factors were linked to a lower risk of developing dementia. This connection was even stronger among participants with diabetes.
The study's lead author, Dr. Yingli Lu, emphasized the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle for people with diabetes: "Our findings highlight that although patients with diabetes are at a higher risk of developing dementia later compared with those without, adherence to an overall healthy lifestyle may greatly reduce this risk."
While this study adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting the link between lifestyle choices and health outcomes, it’s essential to recognize its limitations. The data relied on self-reported lifestyle information, which may lead to errors. The research team also acknowledged misclassifying participants with diabetes or prediabetes. To further validate these findings, future research focused on diverse populations is needed.
Taking care of your health today can lead to a healthier tomorrow. Consult your doctor to discuss healthy lifestyle changes that could potentially reduce your risk of dementia if you have diabetes. And remember, every small change you make is a step in the right direction. 💫
Insights:- Apart from the lifestyle habits mentioned in the study, other healthy practices that benefit people with metabolic syndrome—often linked to an increased risk of dementia—include quitting smoking, managing stress, and maintaining a healthy weight by reducing abdominal fat.- Emphasizing fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats in your diet can help manage metabolic syndrome and reduce dementia risk.- Stress management techniques like meditation or yoga help control stress levels, which may contribute to both metabolic syndrome and dementia risk.
- Dementia, which affects memory, thinking, and reasoning, is a concern for many people, especially those with chronic diseases like type-2 diabetes.
- A recent study in Neurology suggests that people with type-2 diabetes can potentially reduce their dementia risk by adopting healthier lifestyle habits such as staying active, mindful drinking, eating right, ensuring sound sleep, limiting inactivity, socializing, and more.
- The study, which followed participants for an average of 12 years, found that adherence to an overall healthy lifestyle could greatly reduce the risk of developing dementia, particularly for those with type-2 diabetes.
- While the study's data relied on self-reported lifestyle information, it adds to the growing body of evidence linking lifestyle choices to health outcomes.
- For individuals with metabolic syndrome, other healthy practices that can help manage risk include quitting smoking, managing stress, and maintaining a healthy weight by reducing abdominal fat.
- Emphasizing fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats in your diet can help manage metabolic syndrome and reduce dementia risk.
- Stress management techniques like meditation or yoga can help control stress levels, which may contribute to both metabolic syndrome and dementia risk.
- Given the potential benefits, people with type-2 diabetes, dementia, or any other medical-conditions should consider discussing healthy lifestyle changes with their doctors for a personalized approach to health and wellness, including fitness-and-exercise, mental-health, nutrition, therapies-and-treatments, and other contextual considerations like dementia-specific retargeting strategies.
