Middle-aged health management can delay dementia by 13 years, study finds

Middle-aged individuals who manage key health factors like blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking can significantly delay the onset of dementia, potentially gaining nearly 13 years of dementia-free life. New research indicates that people who maintain normal blood pressure, do not have type 2 diabetes, and do not smoke between the ages of 45 and 65 can live substantially longer without cognitive decline.

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People who maintain normal blood pressure, do not have type 2 diabetes, and do not smoke between the ages of 45 and 65 can live an average of nearly 13 years without dementia.

The study, published in the medical journal *Neurology*, analyzed data from the " [Community] Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities" study. Researchers tracked 12,409 participants, who were an average of 56 years old at the start and had no dementia, for approximately 30 years. The findings revealed that participants free of high blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking at the study's outset lived an average of 30.1 years without dementia. This is nearly 13 years longer than those with all three risk factors.

Individuals with one risk factor averaged 26.3 dementia-free years, while those with two risk factors averaged 21 years. Dr. Josef Coresh, a senior investigator for the study, stressed that these findings highlight the need for people to proactively avoid these risk factors during middle age as a strategy for brain health. He expressed hope that the research will encourage people to quit smoking and closely monitor their vascular health starting at age 45.

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This finding advocates for people to proactively avoid these risk factors in middle age as a strategy for protecting brain health.

Globally, the number of dementia cases is projected to nearly triple to 153 million by 2050. However, experts believe that nearly half of all cases worldwide could be preventable or delayed. Previous research has suggested that managing modifiable risk factors throughout life could prevent or delay 45% of dementia cases, underscoring the critical importance of early detection and management.

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This study addresses the public's concerns by concretely showing how middle-aged health shapes the length of dementia-free life.