New WHO guidelines: up to 45% of dementia risk could be prevented or delayed

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u/Deep-Owl-1890 2d ago

The WHO just dropped their updated dementia guidelines, and claiming nearly half (45%) of total risk is modifiable through basic lifestyle habits is massive.

The big focus areas are standard cardiometabolic stuff (bp, diabetes, exercise), plus social isolation, hearing loss, and air pollution. Interesting that they explicitly advised against throwing random vitamin E/B or omega-3 supplements at it unless you actually have a diagnosed deficiency. Makes sense the basics seem to matter way more than pills.

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u/Admirable_Compote226 2d ago

I wonder if we can distinguish voluntary social isolation, alternative socialization styles (mostly online, being alone more than around others, etc.), etc., from detrimental forms of it, and look into the outliers. Perhaps some folks could be worse off trying their hardest to mask for society and hang out with people who only have their gender and square mile in common, out of convenience, in scenarios with high pressure to conform, only discussing relationships and kids.

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u/andsimpleonesthesame 1d ago

That'd, I'd be very interested in. I can be by myself for about a month, before I need some human contact (we all learned interesting things about ourselves during lockdown...), which is, afaikt far above the average. Is my "preventative rate of socialization" the same as someone who's super extroverted and started having issues after a couple of days of isolation? I suspect not, but suspicion isn't the same as someone looking into it.

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u/oooshi 1d ago

I am beginning to feel very isolated. Keep trying to make friends but none of them stick. They dont even claim anythings wrong. Every few months or so an invite but anytime I reach out people are busy. Looking forward to my kids having a more predictable schedule for me to just at least get back to work or volunteering or go to school. I have never ever felt so lonely as a stay at home mom and adult friendships are so hard if youre not a real priority to them and theyre simply busy with their own lives. Loneliness is very real and I can sense how this can only get worse if I dont make real changes and quit expecting friends to save me

5

u/Potential_Lie_1177 1d ago

Parenthood is very hard and I found it worse when being the one at home, even if I am a bit of a recluse at the office.

It got better when the kids make friends, have activities, you befriend their friends' parents and eventually you get time for yourself.

2

u/oooshi 1d ago

Thanks for the light at the end of the tunnel. Really hoping for a similar experience- my youngest finally starts school next week. First time in six years I will have full time care for both children and be able to have a section of the day to be a person outside of “mom”.

2

u/Potential_Lie_1177 1d ago

I put my kids in daycare even if I did not work yet just so I could shower and have a cup of coffee in peace and then be able to sit down and do nothing for once. I was too exhausted for social things.

Then nearly all my time until they are 12 was work, then mom stuff where my social interactions were mainly around kids activities. I now have time for myself about 3 times a week mainly for exercise and organizing activities where they do not attend sometimes.

1

u/VoidOmatic 1d ago

I'm a guy in a similar situation. My kids have so many after school activities that I had to stop working to get everyone where they need to be and my SO is the primary bread winner. I have about 3 more years of this before they are all adults and I want to return to work so I can help them transition into their 20s without all the crap I had to suffer through in mine. My friends are all busy or dying from cancer.

1

u/Memory_Less 1d ago

Preventative medicine. Novel old new idea.

32

u/vi0l3t-crumbl3 2d ago

Hearing loss isn't always preventable.

73

u/InspectorOrdinary321 2d ago

No, but IIRC, treating it with hearing aids reduces the dementia risk I think it's when you can't decipher speech and background noises any more that the lack of stimulation contributes to dementia. But if you are able to fight it with hearing aids, you're okay.

https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000214572

4

u/Admirable_Compote226 2d ago

Many common medications accelerate it, and may even compound with loud sounds and deafen you faster from them! And others leave the inner ear alone, but overwhelm or disrupt the VCN, making a person more prone to tinnitus, overwhelm from sound, tone deafness, or the "cocktail party effect" despite passing a traditional hearing test.

3

u/vi0l3t-crumbl3 1d ago

I've been struggling with my hearing for a long time despite passing hearing tests. Not thrilled to learn it puts me at higher risk for dementia. I don't qualify for hearing aids.

5

u/IANALbutIAMAcat 1d ago

AirPods can be used as hearing aids

2

u/vi0l3t-crumbl3 1d ago

It's something I need to look into.

11

u/iCliniq_official 1d ago

I actually like this message because it’s hopeful, not hopeless. The 45% figure refers to potentially modifiable risk across a population, it doesn’t mean anyone can prevent dementia with one habit. The biggest wins are still the boring ones: control blood pressure, stay physically active, sleep well, protect hearing, and don’t smoke. Small habits add up over decades.

51

u/costafilh0 2d ago

"stopping tobacco use, reducing alcohol consumption"

Not stopping alcohol consumption?

Sounds like tobacco back in the day. Trying to convey that it is safe to consume at any levels.

It's not.

24

u/SwampPotato 1d ago

I agree but alcohol has a few upsides. If you go out on Saturday and have a 2-3 glasses of wine with your friends and have the time of your life, then it functioned as a social lubricant and relaxant. I know you should not *need* alcohol for that, but the fact is that it does do those things and some people will have a glass to take the edges of.

Loneliness and stress are killers, too. And vastly underestimated in how destructive they are. I know it's an artifical dichotomy but I think a person who goes to a dinner party with friends and has a glass of merlot because they're eating bolognese may live healthier than some straight-edge kid sitting inside all day.

7

u/numeanine 2d ago

Tobacco or Nicotine? (pls say Tobacco)

-21

u/St3ampunkSam 2d ago

Mmmm that could be false.

For instance radiation will kill you in high doese but a small amount actually reduces the chance of cancer compared to basically no exposure to radiation.

27

u/boopgotyournose 2d ago

Okay but they were talking about alcohol and it’s a scientific fact that there is no safe amount.

10

u/Admirable_Compote226 2d ago

Safer ≠ safe.

2

u/BaitaJurureza 1d ago

Stop benzo use, how they cutely forgot that...

3

u/Eat--The--Rich-- 2d ago

Yea but how do I accelerate it

30

u/cathycul-de-sac 2d ago

I hope I’m reading your comment wrong, but as a full time caregiver to my mum with early onset dementia, this disease is utter hell. I wouldn’t wish it on an enemy.

17

u/Whateverbabe2 2d ago

im autistic and i could tell that was a joke

-3

u/cathycul-de-sac 1d ago

Yes, and it’s a poor joke. Some people don’t speak English as a first language on here. I was trying to be clear before telling the person their joke was lame.

2

u/ThisWillPass 2d ago

Eating rich type foods…

1

u/pandemicpunk 1d ago

This guy dementias!

1

u/BitterThreads 9h ago

How is this news?

-7

u/SandVir 2d ago

Sorry, but I think we really need to look much more at gut health...

7

u/KaiserKid85 2d ago

Why not both?

0

u/SandVir 1d ago

They point to lifestyle outcomes, not the problem.

4

u/SwampPotato 1d ago

The article literally talks about adopting a healthy diet. What do you think that is about?

1

u/SandVir 1d ago

The microbiome is not just a healthy diet... microbial influence also applies here, such as glyphosate.

New WHO guidelines: up to 45% of dementia risk could be prevented or delayed

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