When considering dementia, loss of control is a common fear. However, up to 40% of dementia cases can be prevented or postponed by adopting healthier habits. Currently, nearly 500,000 Australians live with dementia, and without a cure, this figure could reach 1.1 million by 2058. Dementia shares important risk factors with heart and blood vessel diseases, such as high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, obesity, and smoking. This leads to inflammation and oxidative stress, where protective antioxidants are overwhelmed by harmful free radicals. This damages blood vessels, decreasing the blood and oxygen supply to the brain. Insufficient oxygen prevents brain cells from functioning properly, ultimately causing cell death. Additionally, diminished blood flow makes the brain more susceptible to the plaques and tangles characteristic of dementia.
Changing our habits can improve heart health and lower dementia risk. Here are five lifestyle modifications we can start now. Oily fish, like salmon, sardines, and mackerel, are rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Omega-3s, which must be obtained through diet, have anti-inflammatory effects and have been effective in significantly reducing blood pressure. They are essential for supporting brain cell structure and function. As people age, lower omega-3 intake has been linked to quicker cognitive decline. Plant-based foods—like leafy greens, extra virgin olive oil, blueberries, nuts, and pulses—offer a variety of vitamins and minerals, such as polyphenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, and vitamins C and E. These micronutrients provide antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits that enhance blood vessel function. Diets rich in plant foods, such as the Mediterranean diet, have demonstrated improvements in blood pressure, glucose regulation, and body composition, and are associated with reduced cognitive decline, better brain health, and a lower dementia risk. In contrast, saturated fats, refined carbohydrates, and red and processed meats are thought to activate inflammatory pathways, and highly processed foods have links to hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. Consuming more processed foods may cause us to miss out on the benefits of healthier options. Whole grains like whole oats, rye, buckwheat, and barley offer fiber, vitamins B and E, magnesium, and phytonutrients with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant qualities. Refined grains like white bread, rice, and pasta are excessively processed, stripping away many beneficial nutrients.
Physical activity can reduce inflammation and blood pressure while enhancing blood vessel function, which helps deliver more oxygen to the brain, improving memory and other cognitive functions impacted by dementia. Guidelines suggest adults engage in physical activity most days, break up prolonged periods of inactivity like watching TV, and incorporate resistance exercises. To form long-term exercise habits, choose activities you enjoy and gradually increase your activity level. Any movement that raises your heart rate counts as physical activity, including gardening, walking, and household chores.
Smokers are 60% more likely to develop dementia than non-smokers, as smoking increases inflammation and oxidative stress, damaging blood vessel structure and function. Quitting smoking can reverse these effects, with former smokers having a much lower risk of cognitive decline and dementia akin to people who have never smoked.
It’s never too early or too late to make these changes. Obesity and high blood pressure in middle age are key predictors of dementia risk, while diabetes, physical inactivity, and smoking are stronger predictors later in life. Engaging in regular physical activity earlier in life can reduce blood pressure and lower diabetes risk. Like quitting smoking, lifestyle changes at any age can reduce inflammation and alter dementia risk.