Careblazer, what if I told you that almost half of all dementia cases could be delayed or even prevented by changing the way we live our lives?
This isn’t a guess or a theory. It comes straight from the 2024 Lancet Commission report. Some of the top researchers in the entire world came together and identified 14 modifiable risk factors for dementia. That just means 14 things we can change to reduce our own dementia risk.
Get this: together, those 14 factors are linked to up to 45% of dementia cases. For how common dementia is expected to be, a newer study puts dementia risk at 42% for Americans over 55.
I’m going to walk you through all 14, with action steps you can start taking today. As we go through the list, keep count of how many of these risk factors you think you might have.
I put together a free self-assessment for exactly that. For each area, you can check whether you’re in the green (you’re pretty good to go), the yellow (there’s some work to be done, but you’re doing okay) or the red (okay, we need to make some changes). I included guiding questions at the end to get you moving in the right direction, and the full Lancet report is there too if you want the nitty-gritty.
The 12 Dementia Risk Factors You Can Change
1. Low Education in Early Life
The lower your education in early life, the lower your cognitive reserve in later life. In a way, having more education helps our brain function better later in life.
But it’s never too late to learn. We want to work our brains like we work muscles. Read books, listen to audiobooks, do puzzles and crosswords. Anything that gives you mental stimulation can be considered education.
2. Hearing Loss
Untreated hearing loss can increase your dementia risk. If you’re not hearing what’s going on in the world, you’re not getting the information, and you’re not getting great cognitive stimulation.
The big takeaway: get your hearing checked. If you have hearing loss and you’re prescribed hearing aids, absolutely wear them.
3. High Blood Pressure
Hypertension, especially in midlife, increases your risk for Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia.
Exercise, follow a decent diet, and do whatever you can to control high blood pressure if you have it, working with your healthcare provider.
4. Smoking
Smoking damages blood vessels and increases inflammation in the brain. It increases your risk for dementia.
Even reducing how much you smoke can make a big difference. If you’re serious about quitting, talk to your healthcare provider. They may be able to get you on nicotine replacement and come up with a good plan to help you succeed.
5. Obesity
Being obese, especially in midlife, increases your risk of dementia. The research the Commission reviewed puts it at about 30% higher.
Small changes add up here. Start walking after meals. Start eating a healthier diet. Swap a little of the sugars or sweets you like for something a little healthier. All of these can really make a difference.
Okay, Careblazer, how are you doing? Do not get discouraged. Small steps can make a really big change. Let’s keep going.
6. Depression
Depression can be a symptom of dementia, and having depression actually increases your risk for dementia.
Depression is treatable. If you’re feeling depressed, tell your healthcare provider, get an evaluation and get treatment.
7. Physical Inactivity
A sedentary lifestyle, where you don’t move very much, increases risk.
So make your steps small, even 5 to 10 minutes of physical activity a day. It doesn’t need to be running or the treadmill or anything you don’t enjoy.
For me, I love dancing. I take a dance class at least once a week where I can move my body. I don’t feel like I’m exercising at all, even though it’s a really great workout.
8. Diabetes
Diabetes causes inflammation in the brain and impacts our blood vessels. It increases dementia risk.
Get your regular health checkups, eat healthy and get regular exercise. We’re starting to hear a pattern here, right?
9. Excessive Alcohol
Drinking excessively can shrink the brain and increase your risk. It also worsens mood and memory.
If you drink excessively, be careful not to just stop cold turkey. That can be very dangerous. If you’re interested in stopping, talk to your healthcare provider.
You can also start small, by swapping one alcoholic drink for a mocktail, a glass of water, tea or some other drink you enjoy.
I was giving a presentation on these 14 risk factors once, and a woman raised her hand. She had just gotten some really bad news about her liver. It scared her, and she didn’t want to be drinking anymore. So every night she grabs a fun, festive, fancy glass and makes herself a mocktail. She still gets the pleasure of having a drink, but there’s no alcohol in it.
That might be an idea for you as well.
10. Traumatic Brain Injury
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) increases the risk for dementia. We can’t go back and change a TBI that’s already happened, but we can do things to lower the risk of one.
Wear a helmet for contact sports, and steer clear of lots of high-risk activities. And especially for us and our loved ones, make sure the home is free of fall risks: non-slip surfaces, rugs taped down, nothing to trip over.
11. Air Pollution
A lot of people don’t think about this one, but air pollution absolutely increases our risk for dementia.
On high-pollution days, keep the windows closed and try to stay indoors. You might even consider using air purifiers in the home.
12. Social Isolation
Social isolation increases your risk. It worsens mood, and it keeps us from a lot of the cognitive stimulation we get from being around other people.
Do what you can to have some kind of social interaction on a consistent, regular basis. You don’t need to be a social butterfly. You don’t need a ton of friends. But it does help to have a few meaningful people you can connect with and check in with.
And don’t underestimate video chat or even text messages. It doesn’t have to be in person, because I know how challenging that can be for busy caregivers.
Two New Dementia Risk Factors Added in 2024
As more research comes out, and there are enough really good studies to show something increases dementia risk, it gets added to this report. In 2024, they added two.
13. High LDL Cholesterol
This is the high “bad” cholesterol. The researchers estimate that about 7 out of every 100 dementia cases could be linked to high LDL cholesterol. And in one large study the report cites, people with high LDL cholesterol had a 33% increased risk of dementia.
Start by asking your healthcare provider to check your cholesterol if you don’t know your levels, so you know where you’re at. And like many of the other factors, this is where a really healthy diet comes into play.
14. Vision Loss
Vision loss increases dementia risk, in a way similar to hearing loss. When we’re not getting all of the sensory information, our brain isn’t getting as much stimulation.
Get regular eye exams. And if you have glasses or other corrective eyewear, actually use them.
Every Small Change Lowers Your Dementia Risk
Those are the 14 risk factors. They’re considered modifiable, meaning we can make changes, and every change we make in the right direction reduces our risk.
We’re not going to control everything. We’re not going to be perfect. But we can make small changes. Just because we can’t do it perfectly doesn’t mean what we do won’t make a difference.
So what’s one small change you’re going to make? If you haven’t yet, download the free self-assessment. I wrote out very specific answers for each area, so you get a better idea of whether you’re in the red, the yellow or the green.
Looking after your own brain health while you care for someone with dementia is a lot to carry. Inside the Care Collective, we talk about both: how to care for your loved one, and how to take care of yourself while you do it. You can learn more here.
Sources & References
Livingston G, et al. Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2024 report of the Lancet standing Commission. The Lancet, 2024; 404: 572-628. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2824%2901296-0/fulltext
PubMed record for the same report: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39096926/
