Avoiding these 3 triggers could stave off dementia symptoms for over a decade
While we hear so much about keeping our bodies healthy in terms of what we eat and what to avoid, less is said about how to keep our minds healthy. In general, dementia numbers are on the rise, with the simple fact that we're living longer being a major contributor.
Like we've previously discussed, certain diseases are linked to an increased likelihood of being diagnosed with dementia; there are certain health signs we're told to look out for in terms of potential dementia indicators. Apparently, three specific triggers could stave off its symptoms for a whole decade.
It's said that in 2026 alone, some 500,000 Americans will get the heartbreaking news that they've been diagnosed with clinical Alzheimer's dementia. While you might associate dementia with older people, there's been a massive spike in younger people being diagnosed. We covered the tragic story of one woman who shared her decision to end her life in a final video on TikTok, while a mother has also spoken out about her son being diagnosed at just 22.
What three triggers could help stave off dementia symptoms?
Using research that followed 12,000 people for 26 years, a team at NYU Langone Health identified three health factors that are said to delay dementia by up to 13 years. The research was published in Neurology Open Access, noting that having normal blood pressure, not suffering from diabetes, and not smoking between the ages of 48 and 68 can give you over a decade of dementia-free living.
Researchers analyzed data from the community-based Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study that started in 1986. The study followed patients for decades over their twilight years, recording midlife vascular risk factors and dementia.
Using 12,409 people who were dementia-free and had an average age of 56, they were assessed on the risk factors of high blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking.
After being followed for 26 years, 3,008 developed dementia, and 5,238 people died without developing dementia. Those without any of the above risk factors are said to have gone 13 years longer without developing dementia than those who had the three risk factors.
In particular, the team wanted to monitor how cardiovascular risk factors in the middle of our lives influence dementia-free survival.
Senior investigator Josef Coresh, MD, PhD, noted: "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.
“Discovering new ways to delay dementia is crucial with 42 percent of Americans at risk for developing the condition at any time after age 5."
Are women or men more likely to be diagnosed with dementia?
Interestingly, women were found to live without dementia for longer than men, no matter what the risk factors. Women with all three risk factors lived an average of 18.1 years without developing dementia from the start of tracking, whereas men lived 16.6 years. White participants were also said to have more dementia-free years (an average of 19.6 years) than Black people (an average of 16.0 years) who took part in the study.
Coresh added: "These results suggest that vascular risk reduction may benefit all groups, but that certain populations, such as Black adults, may especially benefit from targeted prevention efforts. Hopefully, these results will encourage people to stop smoking and watch their vascular health closely from age 48 on."
In general, the study didn't aim to prove that avoiding these risk factors can necessarily delay dementia, only that they were linked.
It should also be noted that, as the risk factor measurement was only performed once, it meant changes over time weren't captured.
Still, in terms of adding potentially valuable research to a field that continues to become more talked about, studies like the above can prove vital to science's understanding of cognitive decline.