Three Risk Factors Linked to Fewer Dementia-free Years

During follow-up, 3,008 developed dementia and 5,238 died without it. Those with none of the three risk factors had 30.1 more dementia-free years, versus 26.3 with one, 21 with two, and just over 17 with all three. Women lived longer without dementia than men, and white people had more dementia-free years than black people.

Senior investigator Dr Josef Coresh said people need to actively avert these factors in midlife to preserve brain health. Dr Jacqui Hanley of Alzheimer's Research UK, not involved in the research, said the findings emphasize looking after heart and brain health, including staying active, not smoking, and managing blood pressure and diabetes. Global dementia cases are forecast to nearly triple to 153 million by 2050, with experts suggesting nearly half could be prevented or delayed. Our findings argue that people need to actively avert these factors in midlife as a strategy for preserving brain health for more than a decade, Coresh added.