Dementia: What can you do to reduce your risk?

Publicada el 26.11.2013

Can doing crosswords or reading a daily newspaper reduce your risk of developing dementia? How about taking a simple aspirin pill every day or increasing your intake of oily fish?

You may have read about all of these claims in the media, but here we look at the evidence behind them. Is there really anything you can do to reduce your chances of developing dementia as you get older?

Does my diet make a difference?

Early research has suggested that eating oily fish or taking fish oil supplements rich in a substance called omega-3, could reduce risk of dementia. Oily fish includes salmon, mackerel and herring. However, there is currently no reliable evidence from large-scale trials to prove that omega-3 is of benefit to brain function in healthy older people. That’s not to say that fish oils are not beneficial, but more longer term studies are needed to investigate this effect. Oily fish is still recommended as part of a healthy diet, as it could have other health benefits.

Similarly, B-vitamins have been suggested as having some association with prevention of dementia, but there isn’t currently enough evidence to prove this.

With the specific benefits of certain foods unproven, your best bet is to eat a healthy, balanced diet, which helps to maintain your overall health.

Does being mentally active help to prevent dementia?

You may have read stories in the media over the past few years about doing crosswords or playing board games to stave off dementia. But is there any truth in it?

There’s good evidence that mental stimulation can be beneficial for people with mild dementia. It’s thought that this can slow down the decline in their memory and thinking. Mental stimulation can include a range of activities, such as:

having group discussions
doing word games or puzzles
playing a musical instrument
practical activities for example baking or indoor gardening
Some research does also suggest that healthy people who are more mentally active may have a lower risk of developing dementia at all. However, a lot of the research looking at this has been poor in quality. More research is needed before a link can be confirmed. In the meantime, if you enjoy doing the odd crossword, playing cards or reading your daily newspaper, it certainly can’t hurt to pursue these types of activity.

http://www.bupa.co.uk/individuals/health-information/directory/d/dementia-what-can-you-do-to-reduce-your-risk