Lowering Dementia Risk for Type 2 Diabetes Sufferers: Seven Possible Habits to Consider

Study Highlights Lower Dementia Risk for Diabetics Adhering to Healthy Lifestyle Choices

Individuals with Type 2 diabetes may face an increased risk of developing dementia, but a recent study published in Neurology suggests that making certain healthy lifestyle choices can help reduce this risk substantially.

Dementia, a chronic condition that affects memory, thinking, and reasoning abilities, is becoming a rising concern as most treatments focus on managing symptoms rather than offering a cure. While some risk factors, such as genetics and increasing age, cannot be mitigated, lifestyle factors can be modified to lower the risk.

Researchers from this study examined the impact of seven healthy lifestyle practices on the risk of developing dementia, considering both diabetic and non-diabetic individuals. These habits included abstaining from smoking, moderate alcohol consumption, regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy diet, sufficient sleep, less sedentary behavior, and frequent social interaction.

Data for the study was gathered using the U.K. Biobank, focusing on participants aged 60 and above who did not have dementia at the study's commencement. Participants diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes were explicitly excluded from the research to concentrate on those with Type 2 diabetes.

Research participants received a healthy lifestyle score based on the seven aforementioned behavior factors. Each category had a defined guideline for healthy behavior. For example, someone classified as physically active had to engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of intense exercise each week.

More than 160,000 participants, including over 12,000 with diabetes, were included in the research, and they were monitored for an average of 12 years. The research team discovered that practicing healthy lifestyle choices led to a decreased risk of developing dementia. This risk reduction was even more pronounced among participants with diabetes.

Dr. Yingli Lu, Ph.D., a study author from Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine in China, commented to Medical News Today:

"Our results indicate that although individuals with diabetes are at a higher risk of developing dementia, adhering to a healthy lifestyle greatly reduces this risk."

Jeroen Mahieu, Ph.D., an Alzheimer's researcher not involved in the study, pointed out to MNT:

"The primary takeaway from this study is that adhering to a healthy lifestyle significantly reduces the risk of developing dementia for diabetes patients, much more so than for those without diabetes. This is crucial due to the high prevalence of dementia among diabetes patients. However, we should exercise caution in interpreting these findings as definitive causal relationships."

The study does come with some limitations. Since lifestyle information was self-reported, the risk of collecting inaccurate data was increased. Moreover, the researchers only gathered data on lifestyle factors at baseline, and they did not collect lifestyle factor data before the participants developed diabetes.

Additionally, researchers had to exclude participants with missing data, who tended to have lower education levels and socioeconomic status. There was also the possibility that they misclassified participants with diabetes and prediabetes as non-diabetics.

Controlling for various factors like medications was undertaken by the research team, but they noted the possibility of unaccounted-for unknown or unmeasured factors. Lastly, the study predominantly included Caucasian participants, indicating that future research with a more diverse population will be necessary.

Nevertheless, the study adds significant insights into how lifestyle choices can impact health, particularly in the context of chronic diseases like Type 2 diabetes and dementia. Dr. Lu explained to MNT:

"Our findings may have significant implications for healthcare professionals who treat diabetes patients. Recommending lifestyle changes to their patients may not only enhance overall health but also contribute to the prevention or postponement of dementia in individuals with diabetes. Future research is essential to establish how combined healthy lifestyle behaviors affect cognitive outcomes in diabetes and the potential mechanisms involved."

The study, published in Neurology, indicates that adherence to a healthy lifestyle significantly reduces the risk of developing dementia, even for individuals with Type 2 diabetes.
Dementia, a chronic condition affecting memory, thinking, and reasoning abilities, is often linked with Type 2 diabetes, but researchers have found that healthy lifestyle choices can help lower this risk.
The U.K. Biobank provided data for this study, focusing on participants aged 60 and above, excluding those with Type 1 diabetes.
Healthy lifestyle choices, as defined in the study, includes abstaining from smoking, moderate alcohol consumption, regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy diet, sufficient sleep, less sedentary behavior, and frequent social interaction.
While the study offers promising insights, it has limitations such as self-reported lifestyle information, missing data, and a predominantly Caucasian participant pool.
The study findings suggest that healthcare professionals should consider recommending lifestyle changes to their diabetes patients as it may not only enhance overall health but also contribute to the prevention or postponement of dementia.
The study supports the importance of mental health, therapies and treatments, nutrition, fitness and exercise, and health and wellness in the context of chronic diseases like Type 2 diabetes and dementia.
The research team emphasizes the need for further studies with a more diverse population to confirm the findings and understand the potential mechanisms involved in the relationship between healthy lifestyle choices and reduced dementia risk, especially among diabetes patients.