Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive form of dementia that affects nearly 6.5 million people in the United States.1 It involves parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language. Memory problems are one of the first warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. People with the disease can eventually lose the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to the environment.
The Connection Between Lifestyle and Alzheimer’s
Promoting healthy aging and reducing the risk of dementia is a national priority. Goal 6 of the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease promotes health behaviors such as increasing physical activity, eating a healthy diet, and quitting cigarette smoking and excessive drinking.3
A CDC studyof eight risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease (high blood pressure, physical inactivity, obesity, diabetes, depression, smoking, hearing loss, and binge drinking) among adults 45 and older found the following4:
- Nearly half of adults had high blood pressure or did not meet the aerobic physical activity guideline.
- Adults with subjective cognitive decline—worsening confusion or memory loss in the previous year—were more likely to report at least four risk factors (34.3%) than those without cognitive decline (13.1%).
- 3.9% of adults with no risk factors reported subjective cognitive decline, while 25.0% of those with at least four risk factors reported cognitive decline.
- Several modifiable risk factors were more common among African American, Hispanic, and American Indian or Alaska Native populations than other races and ethnicities.
In addition, a University of Minnesota study attributed 41% of dementia cases to 12 modifiable lifestyle factors. Among the 12 lifestyle factors, obesity, high blood pressure, and lack of exercise contributed the most to risk of dementia.5 Reducing these modifiable risk factors could reduce dementia prevalence.
