“Revolutionary Research: Simple Lifestyle Adjustments Slash Dementia Risk by 50% in London Study”

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“We observed a notable enhancement in cognitive abilities among individuals who engage in physical activity” and underwent other behavioral modifications, she mentioned.

The study, the first of its nature in Canada, indicated that there are 12 elements that elevate the risk of dementia, with the primary four for Canadians being physical inactivity, untreated hearing impairment, obesity, and high blood pressure, according to the study.

The London study, which localized research conducted in 2017 published in The Lancet, is currently being utilized by the Public Health Agency of Canada for incorporation into its national dementia initiative.

This is the inaugural research focusing exclusively on potential dementia prevention in Canada and also marks the first study that includes sleep disturbances as a contributing factor.

“Dementia cases are on the rise, and this indicates that we can adjust risk factors in 50 percent of instances,” Son expressed. “This offers hope through our everyday actions for those affected by dementia.”

In Canada, roughly 700,000 individuals are presently diagnosed with dementia, with projections suggesting that this figure could more than double to 1.7 million by 2050.

“This will impact health care and support” for families, said Son, referring to the escalating wave of dementia that is approaching.

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The 12 elements responsible for risk, based on a survey of 30,000 Canadians aged over 45, are:

• Physical inactivity
• Untreated hearing impairment
• Obesity
• Hypertension
• Traumatic brain injury
• Depression
• Lower education during early years
• Sleep disturbances
• Diabetes
• Tobacco use
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Social isolation

The social and medical expenses tied to dementia have been projected at $40 billion in 2020 and are anticipated to increase by 275 percent over the next 30 years, according to Son’s findings.

It is also estimated that postponing the onset of dementia by merely one year could cut costs by more than 50 percent over a five-year period.

Son’s study revealed that four out of five older Canadian adults do not engage in regular exercise, one in three is either obese or has hypertension, and one in five experiences hearing loss.

Manuel Montero-Odasso, leader of Lawson’s gait and brain laboratory, is a prominent national investigator in lifestyle-related factors contributing to dementia and has recently been awarded a $2.3 million grant to educate students in dementia research. Montero-Odasso collaborated on Surim’s study.

“If half of the dementia cases in Canada are associated with modifiable lifestyle risk factors, this indicates that prevention could be the most effective treatment approach available today,” Montero-Odasso stated. “Dementia does not have to be your fate, even if it constitutes a part of your genetic narrative.”

ndebono@postmedia.com

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