Who knew that being over physically healthy and educated could save you from losing your mind? If there was a way to limit your chances of developing dementia that can arise from natural aging, wouldn’t you do everything you could? It has been found recently that cognitive demise has been delayed and sometimes even prevented based on certain lifestyle choices and promising physical health in general.
A study in The New England Journal of Medicine strongly presented that education and cardiovascular health have major impacts on the effects presented by dementia. The more educated and better heart health populations have shown a promising decline in dementia cases over time.
Volunteering in a nursing home throughout my high school years, I have seen the effects that dementia can have on the patients and their families as well. With certain severities of dementia, it can be difficult for one suffering from dementia to live independently. It can also be financially devastating to families as they must adjust their lifestyles to support and care for their loved one.
The participants in this study were mostly white and from suburban areas, this is largely lacking in diversity therefore cannot be conclusive at this time. However, a similar trend has been found in African-Americans in Indianapolis.
A big issue that is presenting itself to these claims is the
affects that obesity and diabetes will have on the risk of developing
dementia. These two diseases are heavily
present in our current 40 and 50 year olds. As they continue aging, their likeliness
of developing dementia increases.
The most promising result from this study so far is that we
can confirm that the onset of diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia are not
simply results of ones genes. They are also affected by ones environment, lifestyle
and life choices. Although these diseases are not disappearing in the near
future, it’s true that you can delay or in some cases prevent the onset.
It has been predicted that by 2050, the number of American’s
with dementia would triple. However, new research surfacing in Europe, Canada
and the United States has led scientists to believe in a decrease due to a more
educated population with healthier lungs, hearts, cholesterol and blood
pressures. With the increasing importance of education and physical health in
general culture, there seems to be promise in the decline of dementia.
Sources:
Belluck, Pam.
"Education May Cut Dementia Risk, Study Finds." The New York Times.
The New York Times, 10 Feb. 2016. Web. 18 Feb. 2016.
I think it is very important to be active and stay healthy, whether that is through physical activity or exercising your brain with learning, especially now since it can prevent many diseases or future problems that may arise. Although it is hard sometimes during college to maintain a healthy lifestyle with constantly being busy, I would like to do all I can now to either delay or avoid illnesses later in life.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting topic. It's crazy to be that they predicted the number of Americans to triple, however will the new knowledge about health affecting dementia, that it may decrease. I grew up with an uncle who had dementia/Alzheimer's and we have always assumed the gene ran in our family, however it's very eye opening to see that genes aren't the only factor in it and that a healthy lifestyle can affect when/if you will get dementia as well.
ReplyDeleteI honestly did not know too much about dementia leading up to me reading this blog and doing some side research while reading it. Although I do not know of any family members that have the condition, the idea of even losing some of my ability to think and comprehend on a normal level is scaring to me at least. It's like being blindsided by the condition when one minute you're okay and the next, you could have forgotten a simple task like tying your shoes or writing basic sentences. I'm glad more is being done for the cause, and I'm glad you wrote about it!
ReplyDeleteThis post is extremely relevant, especially in today's world, as more and more research is being done into diseases like dementia and Alzheimer's. My grandma is 86 and has begun to show signs of dementia, but her doctor thinks that her progression has slowed (or at least not worsened) because of the fact that she keeps her mind engaged by playing Scrabble for a few hours each day. Even though she sometimes asks me the same question 4 or 5 times, she can still whoop me in Scrabble!
ReplyDeleteI find it extremely interesting that researchers are beginning to change their predictions regarding whether rates of dementia will increase or decrease in the coming decades. I guess we will not know if the predictions are correct are not until the current group of people in their 40's and 50's reach the age where their risk of dementia could possibly increase. I believe that even though we do not know to what extent diet and exercise prevent dementia, we should still try to take any measures that could possibly help.
ReplyDeleteI find it extremely interesting that researchers are beginning to change their predictions regarding whether rates of dementia will increase or decrease in the coming decades. I guess we will not know if the predictions are correct are not until the current group of people in their 40's and 50's reach the age where their risk of dementia could possibly increase. I believe that even though we do not know to what extent diet and exercise prevent dementia, we should still try to take any measures that could possibly help.
ReplyDeleteI know from personal experience with my grandmother that having family members with dementia can be devastating. Despite living healthy her entire life, she still developed Alzheimer's although at an older age. I think that increased life expectancy has led partially to the increase in dementia. However, as stated in Mattina's essay, staying active and eating healthy can help to bring this number down.
ReplyDeleteMy great-grandmother had dementia. Mattina said that obesity and diabetes can cause dementia or at least be a precursor to the disease. Unfortunately I know this to be true because my great-grandmother was diabetic for a majority of her life. In her late stages she only recognized me, but not for me but as her oldest daughter. I saw the toll this took on her actual children and I would like to prevent anything like that from happening to my family when I get older.
ReplyDelete