Almost half Canadian dementia cases influenced by 12 lifestyle factors
By Debora Van Brenk, St. Joseph’s Healthcare London, Special to Western News, December 12, 2024
Many people could greatly improve their odds against developing dementia by making four, low-cost lifestyle changes, Western researchers have discovered.
In the first study of its kind, researchers at Lawson Research Institute (Lawson) and Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry found about half of dementia cases in Canada can be influenced by 12 lifestyle factors.
These twelve potential modifiable factors (based on a study of 30,000 Canadians over the age of 45), weighted from most significant factor to least were:
- Physical inactivity
- Hearing loss
- Obesity
- Hypertension
- Traumatic brain injury
- Depression
- Less education in early life
- Sleep disturbances
- Diabetes
- Smoking
- Excessive alcohol
- Social isolation
Topping the “dirty dozen” list across Canadians’ lifespans, and especially notable from mid-life onwards, are physical inactivity, hearing loss, obesity and hypertension.
The solutions
- Get off the couch and get moving
- Tackle hearing loss early
- Lose weight
- Get assessed and treated for high blood pressure
“While lifestyle changes aren’t a magic pill to prevent all dementias, they’re an empowering way to reduce the overall risk.” – Surim Son, study lead author and PhD candidate at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry and Lawson
“We’re talking about significant benefits to Canadian health and health systems,” Son, who works with the dementia research program at St. Joseph’s Health Care London, added.
Read the full article on the Western News website here: https://news.westernu.ca/2024/12/dementia-lifestyle-changes/
The scientific research article is available in open access:
Son, S., Speechley, M., Zou, G.Y. et al. Potentially Modifiable Dementia Risk Factors in Canada: An Analysis of Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging with a Multi-Country Comparison. J Prev Alzheimers Dis 11, 1490–1499 (2024). https://doi.org/10.14283/jpad.2024.105
