WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The same lifestyle changes long known to reduce the risk of heart disease, including regular exercise, healthy eating, and active social engagement, may also help protect against dementia, according to new research from Florida Atlantic University.
The study, published in the American Journal of Medicine, found that dementia is not an inevitable part of aging and that nearly half of dementia risk can be attributed to modifiable lifestyle and environmental factors.
This is especially significant as nearly 60 million people worldwide live with dementia, a number projected to more than double by 2050.
In the first large-scale U.S. clinical trial of its kind, older adults at high risk of cognitive decline were randomly assigned to either standard care or a structured, team-based lifestyle program. Over two years, participants in the intervention group showed statistically significant improvements in global cognition, particularly in memory, attention, planning, and decision-making.
The program combined physical activity, Mediterranean and DASH-style diets, cognitive stimulation, and social engagement. Researchers noted that physical activity may work by increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which supports hippocampal growth, while dietary changes reduce oxidative stress and improve insulin sensitivity.
'Clinicians now have powerful, evidence-based tools to help their patients prevent or slow cognitive decline tools that go beyond medications, are generally low-risk, and cost-effective,' said study co-author Dr. Parvathi Perumareddi.
Experts also highlighted that complex activities such as dance, martial arts, and team sports appear especially beneficial, as they combine physical exertion with cognitive and social demands, stimulating brain regions linked to memory, focus, and flexibility.
The findings underscore that the same habits that protect cardiovascular health may also be key to safeguarding the brain offering hope that dementia risk can be reduced through everyday choices.
Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2025 AFX News
