Can Lifestyle Change Stop Or Delay Alzheimer’s? Study Gives The Answer

Alzheimer's disease, which is a type of dementia, so far has no cure. The only way to keep this mind-destroying illness away is by adapting some simple lifestyle changes, according to a study.

The study, published in the JAMA network on Sunday, stated that healthy habits can reduce the risk of this mental decline, even in people who have high chances of developing this disease due to genetic factors.

The research further stated that adapting four to five lifestyle changes can cut the risk of any kind of dementia, including Alzheimer’s. These five healthy habits are reduced alcohol consumption, moderate to vigorous level of exercise for at least 150 minutes in a week, no smoking, following a healthy diet and getting involved in late-life cognitive activities.

The Alzheimer's Association reported that millions of Americans are suffering from this mind-destroying disease or other forms of it. According to it, nearly six million Americans are living with this mental illness, mostly aged 75 and above.

For the study, a group of researchers from the University of Exeter Medical School in England analyzed the data of around 200,000 people that they collected from the UK Biobank. All the participants aged 60 and above.

At the beginning of the research, none of the participants had any signs or symptoms of dementia. So, they were divided into three groups based on their genetic risk of developing this disease. The researchers also divided the participants on the basis of their lifestyle.

At the end of the eight-year-long study, the researchers found that people with high genetic risk and poor lifestyle were three times more likely to develop dementia than those with healthy habits and low genetic risks.

The scientists also found that only one percent of those who had the highest genetic risk developed dementia when they followed a healthy habit. But those who followed a poor lifestyle were twice as likely to develop this disease.

The study suggests that “living a healthy lifestyle is associated with a reduced dementia risk, regardless of genetic risk,” co-author Elzbieta Kuzma, who is a research fellow in neuroepidemiology at the University of Exeter Medical School told NBC News.