Doctors reveal the simple lifestyle changes that could prevent dementia in largest study of its kind

Simple lifestyle changes may be the key to eliminating early warning signs of dementia, according to a major study.

This week, researchers at the world’s largest dementia conference, the country’s most comprehensive work on lifestyle interventions on Alzheimer’s disease announced the findings of the US pointer.

Approximately three dozen US researcher team looked at more than 2,000 elderly Americans, all of the family’s dementia story or high blood pressure and obesity.

They were divided into two groups and asked to follow a strict diet or exercise regime, establish a support group or social circle for two years, or choose their own habits to change.

Measures include the application of aerobic exercise such as walking and bicycles, monitoring a Mediterranean -style diet and performing brain training exercises on computers.

The researchers found that both groups have improved their ability to balancing tasks, processing information, and remembering personal experiences. However, people who followed a more mocked routine had nine percent better points than those who followed a self -guided approach, which researchers called ‘important’ shifts.

In fact, those who participated in the structured group realized at a cognitive level of one to two years younger than their real age, and claimed that the interventions ‘slow down the cognitive aging time’.

The study comes after identifying a recent Lancet Commission study, which has a 14 -change risk factors, including physical inactivity, smoking, diet, pollution and lack of social contact for dementia.

The above graph shows changes in cognitive points over time between people who apply structured changes and those who are self -guided.

Speaking at the International Conference of the Alzheimer’s Association in Toronto on Monday, researchers said that this was the first large -scale randomized work showing accessible and sustainable health and lifestyle interventions that can maintain cognitive function in various populations and communities in the country.

Professor of Gerontology and Geriatri at Wake Forest University, Professor and Professor of Geriatri, said at a press conference before his emergence: ‘This test of the pointer lifestyle recipe provides a new description for Americans to improve cognitive function improvements and cognitive decrease.

“ I am happy to have a positive clinical work. We now know that healthy behaviors are important for brain health. Even though we tried meticulously, we know that. ‘

Speaking at the AAIC, the essay participants also called the work ‘life line’ and helped them reversed key dementia risk factors such as prediyabet, obesity and depression.

The team plans to observe the participants for four more years and to drag them to additional areas throughout the US, most of them are insufficient by dementia prevention sources.

The study, which was announced in the AAIC today, looked at 2,111 adults from five regions in the US for two years.

The report was also published in Jama magazine.

The participants were 60 to 79 years old, the average age was 68 years old. Approximately 69 percent of the participants were women.

Adults involved in the study tended to live a still lifestyle and follow a typical Western diet.

They all met at least two of the following criteria: there was a story of a close family memory disorder; There were cardiovascular problems such as high blood pressure or cholesterol cardiometabolic risk; The American Indian or Alaska was domestic, black, Middle East or North African race; Hispanic was Latinx or Spanish; He was 70 to 79; Or they were men.

More than two -thirds of the participants were white. One in three people had Apoe-4carrier, which made them genetically sensitive to Alzheimer’s disease, and the eighth of 10 people had a family memory problem.

Participants were appointed to two groups equally: Structured or self -guided lifestyle interventions.

Structured interventions include exercise, nutrition, cognitive and social difficulties and health coaching.

The types of exercise included in the structured group are configured in facilities such as aerobic (such as running or bikes), resistance (weightlifting) and stress and balance exercise, all often in facilities such as gym or YMCA.

Aerobic exercise was performed for four days a week for 30 to 35 minutes per week. While the resistance training is 15 to 20 minutes for two days a week, the flexibility training is planned for 10 to 15 minutes two days a week.

Structured participants were also encouraged to follow the mind diet that combines the principles of the Mediterranean and Dash (diet approaches to stop hypertension).

Leafy green vegetables, fruits, nuts, olive oil, lean fish and whole wheat cereals, such as brain healthy foods have been shown to reduce the risk of dementia.

In addition, cognitive training exercises were given on home computers three times a week for 15 to 20 minutes and participated in support group sessions with peers.

Participants also watched a mind diet with lean fish and vegetables (stock image)

In the meantime, the participants in the self -guided group were encouraged to follow all these interventions based on the educational materials provided, but no specific instructions were given.

Peter Gijsbers van Wijk of Houston was appointed to the self -guided group. During the AAIC, he focused on exercise during the exercise, and focused on buying a smart watch to watch his steps during his trips to the market and to park further.

He also tried to change salty snacks for the Granola bars and to apply more fruits and vegetables on his diet. When his wife passed away during the work, he devoted his free time to volunteer and ‘giving back to society’.

Both groups were given blood tests and memory assessments every six months.

The researchers developed cognitive scores after two -year lifestyle interventions, but the structured group received nine better points after a self -guided protocol.

Structured participants also received better points than self -intervention participants at the administrator function and processing speed. These are things such as switching between tasks and getting new information.

Both groups had similar developments in episodic memory, the ability to remember certain personal experiences.

However, the team stressed that tight, structured approach is the most effective approach in general.

Dr Baker said: ‘What we have learned is the structure and support required for success change and durable change.’

In addition, the structured group had less negative effects than self -guided group, such as illness and death, 151 serious and 1,095 non -serious event compared to 190 and 1,225.

Researchers may have comprehensive effects of findings according to national data, since 35 percent of elderly adults do not meet physical activity guidelines and 81 percent do not consume suboptimal diets.

Phyllis Jones of Chicago said that during the AAIC, the call for joining the pointer was a ‘life line’ while wandering with the ‘drainage’ drainage ‘prediyabet, obesity and depression.

No more depression, joint pain and high cholesterol and lost 30 kilos.

He said: ‘I lost the belief that pain and decline are normal parts of aging. I gave energy. I live for purpose. ‘

In the study, there were various limitations, including only five sites to examine the participants and not to look at the results of the general dementia.

However, the team plans to observe the participants for four more years to look at long -term effects and to transfer the program to other sites.

Gijsbers Van Wijk also offered to provide smart watches to participants who could not meet them in order to better follow their health metrics.

Dr Baker, ‘We are proud to be a part of this work. It was the most spectacular journey. ‘