Have high cholesterol or poor social life? New Lancet study says you are at risk of demetia

Ever found yourself frantically searching for your glasses only to realise they're perched right on your head? Or desperately trying to recall where is the "safe spot" you yourself had made for your valuables, only to come up empty-handed? And how about that awkward moment when someone greets you, and despite your best efforts, their name just won't come to mind?

We've all been there—those moments when your brain seems to freeze.

And then, fear creeps in. Is this the beginning of dementia? Will I end up like my grandmother, who is struggling with it?

Because the reality is, many in that age group do face dementia, making these moments all the more unsettling.

Recently, the Lancet Commission?added two new risk factors for dementia—high cholesterol and vision loss—to the 12 identified in their 2020 report.

Here's a rundown of the other 12 factors to watch out for:

• Less education
• Head injury
• Physical inactivity
• Smoking
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Hypertension
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Hearing loss
• Depression
• Air pollution
• Infrequent social contact

According to a January 2022 study, exercise may help prevent dementia by boosting levels of a protein that strengthens communication between brain cells and reducing inflammation that harms nerve cells.

Credit: Unsplash | Representational image

Hearing and vision are crucial because they influence our ability to interact with our environment, which helps stimulate the brain.

CNN quoted Isaacson, director of research at the Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases in Florida, as saying that hearing aids or glasses can significantly improve quality of life: "If you don't use it, you lose it."

Credit: Unsplash | Representational image

The new report reveals that tackling these 14 risk factors could prevent or delay up to 45% of dementia cases.?

Among them, addressing vision loss, high cholesterol, and infrequent social contact could make a big difference.?

So, if you want to keep your mind sharp, focus on staying at a healthy weight, tackling obesity early, and managing depression, hearing loss, vision loss, and high cholesterol.?

And don't forget to step out and meet a friend now and then—even if your couch and blanket are calling your name!

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