Saturday, December 4, 2010

Dementia Disease Risk Influenced by Living Habits

Some researchers estimate that dementia will increase by 100% between the years 2001 and 2020 in the United States. Anything that can reduce dementia disease risk, or delay the age of onset is important.

Now a new study gives us some suggestions for diet and lifestyle changes that could bring down the incidence of dementia. Things like cutting the rates of diabetes and depression, encouraging education and upping the intake of fruits and veggies.

While no one yet knows the precise cause of dementia, experts have identified a few risks - heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and high cholesterol - all within your control.

This research may be the first to estimate the benefits of eliminating various risk factors for dementia. Although this kind of research can't determine expected outcomes, it may suggest direction for public health programs.

Dementia, a medical term often misused, isn't a lot an illness, but a descriptive term for any assortment of symptoms that may be brought on by a variety of disorders that affect the mind.

It's not an ordinary the main process of getting older, though it's quite common within the elderly. Having loss of memory (admittedly a typical characteristic of dementia) isn't enough; doctors search for several brain functions being impaired without loss of awareness. And also the impairment must be severe enough to impact normal daily activities and relationships.

This most recent dementia research included 1,433 healthy adults (over age 65) living in the south of France. Subjects underwent cognitive testing by a neurologist at the start of the study and again in years two, four and seven in order to judge any dementia and/or mild cognitive impairment. Blood pressure and blood samples were also taken at these visits, and tests of intelligence and to identify any depressive symptoms were also administered. When the study began and during all follow up sessions, subjects provided precisely their health background in addition to home elevators diet, education, monthly income, drinking and utilization of tobacco.

At the conclusion from the study, there have been 405 cases of dementia and/or mild cognitive impairment.

Once the numbers were crunched, they figured eliminating depression and diabetes, and a heightened intake of fruits and vegetables would bring a general 21% decrease in new cases of dementia.

Removing depression alone creates a 10% reduction, but this really is no reason to assume a causal link between depression and dementia.

Increasing education would also reduce new cases of dementia by 18% within the general population within the next seven years.

Eliminating the main known genetic risk factor results in merely a 7% decrease in dementia risk. Focusing on other risk factors beyond genetics may hold much promise.

They believe what it's all about to clinicians is the fact that from young adulthood on efforts ought to be designed to prevent patients from coming in contact with risk. Use these phones avoid insulin dependence before it reaches the diabetes stage. Identify and treat depression when it happens. Encourage literacy and training regardless of how old you are. Relay the significance of a well-balanced, nutritious diet towards the body.

Research continues on minimizing the chance of developing dementia disease. Meanwhile, realize that there is a good deal that you can do to maintain mind and body healthy while you age. But it is recommended to start today.

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