Stop Dementia Before It Starts: 14 Secrets You Need to Know!

Summary

In this episode of 'Talking with Docs', Dr. Brad Weining and Dr. Paul Z discuss the 2024 Lancet Commission report on dementia prevention. They highlight that around 50% of dementia cases are preventable through modifications in lifestyle and health. The report identifies 14 modifiable risk factors, including education, hearing loss, hypertension, smoking, obesity, depression, physical inactivity, diabetes, alcohol intake, traumatic brain injury, air pollution, social isolation, vision loss, and high cholesterol. The doctors emphasize the importance of early intervention and maintaining a healthy lifestyle to reduce the risk of dementia.

Takeaways

• 🧠 Dementia, including Alzheimer's and other types, is estimated to be preventable to a significant extent, with around 50% of cases potentially avoidable through lifestyle and risk factor interventions.
• 🎓 Lower education levels are associated with an increased risk of dementia, suggesting that lifelong learning and cognitive engagement may play a protective role.
• 👂 Hearing loss is identified as a modifiable risk factor, with the recommendation to get hearing tested and use hearing aids if necessary to maintain social engagement and cognitive stimulation.
• 🚬 Smoking is listed as a risk factor for dementia, reinforcing the importance of smoking cessation for overall health and brain health.
• 🍔 Obesity, indicated by a high body mass index, is recognized as a risk factor, underscoring the importance of maintaining a healthy weight.
• 🚶‍♂️ Physical inactivity is a risk factor for dementia, highlighting the need for regular physical activity to support brain health.
• 🍽️ Diabetes, particularly type 2, is mentioned as a modifiable risk factor, with lifestyle changes like diet and exercise recommended to manage blood sugar levels.
• 🍺 Alcohol consumption, with a specific note on keeping intake under 10 drinks per week, is discussed as a risk factor for dementia.
• 🤕 Traumatic brain injury is identified as a risk factor, emphasizing the importance of head protection during physical activities to prevent brain damage.
• 🌿 Air pollution is noted as a risk factor, suggesting that living in polluted areas may contribute to dementia risk and the need to take precautions in such environments.
• 🏡 Social isolation is a critical risk factor, with the importance of maintaining social connections and engagement to support cognitive health.
• 👓 Vision loss is mentioned as a risk factor, advising regular eye check-ups and corrective measures to prevent social isolation and cognitive decline.
• 🔍 Elevated LDL cholesterol is identified as a risk factor, indicating the need for managing blood lipid levels to reduce the risk of dementia.

Q & A

What is the main topic discussed in the 'Talking with Docs' video?

The main topic discussed in the 'Talking with Docs' video is the prevention of dementia, specifically focusing on the 2024 report by the Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention, Intervention, and Care.

What percentage of dementia does the report estimate is preventable?

The report estimates that around 50% of dementias are preventable.

Which types of dementia are discussed in the video?

The video discusses Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and mixed dementia.

How many modifiable risk factors for dementia does the report identify?

The report identifies 14 modifiable risk factors for dementia.

What is the first modifiable risk factor mentioned in the video?

The first modifiable risk factor mentioned in the video is having less education.

How can decreased hearing be a risk factor for dementia, and what is a suggested modifiable action?

Decreased hearing can lead to less engagement and difficulty in learning, which may contribute to dementia. A suggested modifiable action is to get your hearing tested and consider using hearing aids if necessary.

What is the connection between hypertension and dementia, and how can it be managed?

Hypertension can affect the small blood vessels that feed the brain, potentially leading to dementia. It can be managed through medications or lifestyle changes to bring blood pressure down to a normal level.

Why is smoking a risk factor for dementia, and what is the advice given in the video?

Smoking is a risk factor for dementia due to its harmful effects on overall health, including the brain. The advice given is to not start smoking and to quit if one is already a smoker.

How does body weight or BMI relate to dementia risk, and what is the recommendation?

An elevated body mass index (BMI) is identified as a risk for getting dementia. The recommendation is to try and lose weight if one's BMI is high.

What role does depression play in the development of dementia, and how can it be addressed?

Depression is associated with a higher incidence of Alzheimer's and other types of dementia. It is treatable through various methods, and those experiencing symptoms should seek appropriate treatment from a primary care doctor.

Why is physical inactivity a risk factor for dementia, and what can be done to mitigate this?

Physical inactivity is a risk factor for dementia as it can lead to a sedentary lifestyle, which is detrimental to brain health. To mitigate this, it is recommended to engage in regular physical activity to promote overall health and cognitive function.

Outlines

00:00

🧠 Dementia Prevention: Understanding the Risk Factors

The video script introduces a report from the Lancet standing commission on dementia, focusing on prevention, intervention, and care. The hosts, Dr. Brad Weining and Dr. Paul Z, discuss the report's claim that approximately 50% of dementia cases are preventable. They highlight various types of dementia, including Alzheimer's, vascular, and others, and emphasize the importance of early intervention. The script mentions 14 modifiable risk factors for dementia, such as education level, hearing loss, and hypertension, suggesting that lifestyle changes and medical interventions can significantly reduce the risk of developing dementia.

05:02

🚫 Addressing Modifiable Risk Factors for Dementia

This section of the script delves into the 14 modifiable risk factors for dementia in more detail. The doctors discuss the impact of factors like smoking, body weight, depression, physical inactivity, diabetes, alcohol consumption, and traumatic brain injury on the risk of dementia. They provide practical advice on how to mitigate these risks, such as getting regular check-ups, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and seeking appropriate treatment for conditions like depression and diabetes. The conversation also touches on the importance of social connections and avoiding social isolation as a means to prevent cognitive decline.

10:02

🏋️‍♂️ Lifestyle and Health: Key to Reducing Dementia Risk

The final paragraph of the script summarizes the previous discussions and adds more risk factors such as air pollution, social isolation, vision loss, and high cholesterol. The hosts stress the importance of a healthy lifestyle, including good nutrition, regular exercise, stress reduction, and maintaining social connections, in reducing the risk of dementia. They conclude by encouraging viewers to take charge of their health and make necessary lifestyle changes to lower their chances of developing dementia. The script ends with a call to action for viewers to like, subscribe, and engage with the content to support the channel.

Keywords

💡Dementia

Dementia is a general term for a decline in cognitive ability severe enough to interfere with daily life. It is not a specific disease but an overall term that describes a syndrome characterized by the loss of cognitive and social abilities severe enough to affect a person's daily functioning. In the video, dementia is the central theme, with the discussion revolving around its prevention and the various types such as Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, and others.

💡Preventable

The term 'preventable' refers to the idea that certain conditions or diseases can be stopped or avoided through specific actions or interventions. In the video, it is mentioned that around 50% of dementia cases may be preventable, which underscores the importance of understanding and addressing the modifiable risk factors discussed.

💡Modifiable risk factors

Modifiable risk factors are aspects of one's lifestyle or environment that can be changed to reduce the risk of a disease. The video highlights 14 such factors for dementia, emphasizing that while they are not easy to modify, they are possible to change with effort, such as through lifestyle changes or medical interventions.

💡Education

In the context of the video, 'education' is mentioned as a factor that can influence the risk of dementia. It suggests that individuals with less formal education may be at a higher risk, possibly due to less cognitive stimulation over their lifetime. The video encourages lifelong learning as a way to keep the brain active.

💡Hearing loss

Hearing loss is identified as a modifiable risk factor for dementia in the video. It is suggested that untreated hearing loss can lead to social isolation and decreased cognitive engagement, which may contribute to the development of dementia. The video advises getting hearing tested and using hearing aids if necessary.

💡Hypertension

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is discussed as a risk factor for dementia that can be managed through medication or lifestyle changes. The video explains that controlling blood pressure is important because it affects the small blood vessels that supply the brain, which can impact brain health.

💡Smoking

Smoking is mentioned as a harmful habit that increases the risk of dementia. The video encourages viewers not to start smoking and to quit if they already do, as part of the broader message of adopting a healthier lifestyle to reduce dementia risk.

💡Body mass index (BMI)

BMI is used in the video to discuss the relationship between body weight and dementia risk. An elevated BMI is identified as a modifiable risk factor, suggesting that maintaining a healthy weight can be beneficial in preventing dementia.

💡Depression

Depression is highlighted as a modifiable risk factor for dementia in the video. It is noted that individuals with depression have a higher incidence of developing dementia, and the video encourages seeking appropriate treatment for depression to mitigate this risk.

💡Physical inactivity

Physical inactivity is presented as a risk factor for dementia that can be addressed through increased physical activity. The video emphasizes the importance of regular exercise for overall health, including brain health, and suggests that even small amounts of activity can be beneficial.

💡Diabetes

Diabetes, particularly type 2, is discussed as a modifiable risk factor for dementia in the video. It is suggested that maintaining a healthy weight and being physically active can help prevent insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, which in turn can reduce the risk of dementia.

Highlights

Around 50% of dementias are preventable.

The types of dementias discussed include Alzheimer's, vascular dementia, and others.

14 modifiable risk factors for dementia are identified in the report.

Less education is associated with an increased risk of dementia.

Decreased hearing can contribute to dementia risk.

Hypertension is a modifiable risk factor for dementia.

Smoking is a risk factor for dementia and quitting is advised.

High body mass index is linked to an increased risk of dementia.

Depression is a modifiable risk factor for dementia.

Physical inactivity is a risk factor for dementia.

Diabetes, particularly type 2, is a risk factor for dementia.

Alcohol intake should be limited to reduce dementia risk.

Traumatic brain injury is a risk factor for dementia.

Air pollution is identified as a risk factor for dementia.

Social isolation is a critical risk factor for dementia.

Vision loss is a modifiable risk factor for dementia.

Elevated LDL cholesterol is a risk factor for dementia.

The report emphasizes the importance of a healthy lifestyle to reduce dementia risk.

Transcripts

dementia is it inevitable or are there

things you can do to avoid it oh

thankfully I hope it's the latter all

right let's climb this ladder of

dementia welcome to talking with docs

I'm Dr Brad weening and I'm Dr Paul Z

forgot to introduce yourself there yeah

right so I'm going to talk about a

report okay a dementia prevention

intervention and Care 2024 report of the

Lancet standing commission demen

prevented intervention say that five

times vention prevention and prevention

it Rhymes this is a big report okay but

this is a summary of what this working

group put together to teach people how

they can avoid getting dementia and

guess what percentage of dementia they

estimate is preventable I'm going to say

half 50% around 50% not half around 50%

of dementias preventable the type of

dementias we're talking about is

Alzheimer's disease vascular dementia

Louis body dementia frontal temporal

dementia mix dementia all dementias lots

of dementias it's a family of dementias

when I think too like 40 years ago there

weren't really task forces that talked

about this for a host of reasons people

weren't sick they didn't live as long we

didn't know as much about it and now

we're we're becoming overwhelmed the

stats that I read in Canada in 2022

750,000 people were living with

Alzheimer's or some other type of

dementia was listed to the number nine

cause of death of all caused death

guaranteed every one of our viewers

viewers yes know someone who has

dementia or know someone who is dealing

with a family member with Dementia or

may even have dementia themselves if you

have some advice actually for people who

are living with this or living with a

family member please share a comment

because this is a community that

certainly can help support each other in

a very difficult time absolutely okay

all right so we just going to run

through they came up with 14 modifiable

risk factors okay so we're not going

through the whole

report it's too it's too big it's too

big okay so 14 mod iable risk factors

we're not saying that they're easy to

modify it's just like your diet or

changing your lifestyle say hey have

less stress hey get more sleep you know

these are modifiable don't get dementia

but it takes it takes some effort and um

you obviously do as many as you can yeah

and you want to start early early as

early as poss as you'll see with some of

these risk factors okay so let's start

with the first one that they identified

uh if you have less education you're at

increased risk of dementia and obviously

this is a very difficult one because

people don't don't choose to not go

further in school necessarily no and the

definition of education is varied right

is it a formal education in school or is

it some courses you take or something

you teach yourself but in any case get

your brain working keep your brain

working okay it's not too late to get

more education there's lots of free

online courses you can take in a variety

of subjects uh watch talking with docs

that's educational yeah it is we're

helping you y okay I like that one so so

number two is is decreased hearing I

suspect this is for for a host of

reasons because you become less engaged

you have a harder time probably learning

and things like that so the way that

this is modifiable obviously is get your

hearing tested I'm not exactly sure the

recommendations right now it probably

depends on your symptoms um but as we

get older hearing aids certainly are

practical solution they're much less

kind of uh large right now like they

used to be really really big but they're

they're very subtle nowaday it's very

very common um Unfortunately they can be

expensive um thankfully some of the uh

government PL do cover them but yeah I

think getting your hearing tested and

dealing with reduced hearing or hearing

loss is really important or just listen

to Dr weening he talks loud I do talk

loud and then the other thing I would

say is for younger people who don't have

this yet is wear protective hearing so

when you're running a chainsaw or the

lawn mower even at concerts or airpods

whatever respect your hearing and try to

protect it in advance that's a good one

too it's not just wearing hearing aids

but it's don't do the damage being

around loud noises yes the next one is

very common many of viewers have this

are dealing with this hypertension

hypertension was identified as a

modifiable risk factor why is

hypertension modifiable because you can

take medications or do lifestyle changes

that can bring your blood pressure down

to a normal level and the reason that

this matters for dementia is likely

because of its effect on the small blood

vessels that feed our brain that's right

okay so that's number three number four

is is smoking um obviously there are a

zillion reasons to not smoke we

recognize that this is very difficult

takes multiple attempts at quitting an

organized strategy but please don't

start smoking if you have started please

try to stop would you say there's a

zillion in one now yeah maybe maybe okay

the next one is and nobody's going to

like hearing this is your body weight

yep your body mass index if that is

elevated this report identified that as

a risk for getting dementia so if

there's no other reason for you to try

and lose weight let this be one of them

okay very difficult to do but very

important to do for a host of reasons

obviously number six is depression so

people that are depressed have a higher

incidence of Alzheimer's and other types

of dementia developing over time so do

you say oh hey don't be depressed well

it's obviously not that simple what's

most important is that if you do have

signs or symptoms of depression or know

someone that does get them to see their

primary care doctor and get appropriate

treatment that's the thing depression is

treatable you don't have to suffer on

your own it is treatable through a

variety of ways we're not experts in

managing that but we do have a lot of

patients who do live with depression y

and this has been identified as a

modifiable risk factor for dementia and

becoming more common sadly and more

recognized more socially normalized JY

ads on TV there's a lot of there's a lot

of social awareness now so just go get

that treated if you think you have that

okay the next one is none of our viewers

suffer from this because we harp about

it all the time physical inactivity

physical inactivity is a risk factor for

dementia okay if you haven't had a

reason before to get up your feet and

jump around now you do okay get active

and actually I was listening to a

podcast with my wife yesterday about a

whole bunch of things about anxiety and

depression and this expert from Harvard

was talking about something that you had

said you know sitting is the new

standing and about how sitting is the

new SM sorry sitting is the new smoking

sorry right sitting is not the this

topic is dementia right so sitting is

the new smoking and you just have to get

up and do something and and start small

it doesn't have to be something a really

high intensity or for very long just do

your best to do something get

that's it okay number eight is diabetes

um so diabetes obviously in the type one

situation is not particularly modifiable

that's very treatable the type two is

probably the more modifiable of the two

so trying to maintain a healthy weight

and activity to reduce your chances of

developing things like insulin

resistance and type two diabetes so if

you do have it try to modify it to get

rid of it if you have it already see

your family doctor and get a treated get

it treated that will reduce your chance

of demension do I have to say the next

one you do actually

reduce your alcohol intake it hurts me

to say it because we talk about it all

you're kind of joking around it's not

like it's not like you drink a lot no I

don't drink a lot but I know a lot of

our viewers enjoy having some alcoholic

beverages and we have been seeing more

and more evidence talking about how bad

alcohol is for you uh however the number

in this report was not as daunting as

some of the other uh health risks

associated with alcohol here it's about

10 drinks per week if you can just keep

it under 10 drinks for this is which is

a lot a lot more than the recommended

amount sure specifically for dementia

it's higher obviously dose dependent um

but yeah we we've talked about we

actually should do one specific video

all about alcohol it would make people

sad but I think it's important to know

kill our Channel I think we would

recognize that the safe amount is

probably zero but then uh the lower

amounts are are probably still within

safety for certain things so for this

risk factor for d this report identified

a certain number of units of alcohol and

it turns out to about 10 drinks per week

keeping it under that will minimize your

chance of demena right okay number 10 is

traumatic brain injury OB if you already

have one that becomes less modifiable

but it's really in the prevention so

wearing helmets for physical activity

avoid concussion related activities and

just do your best to protect your brain

our brains are very fragile inside of

our thick skulls right to our high

school students watching the two of you

high school students who watch our

Channel maybe don't try and be captain

of the football team be captain of the

badminton team how about the two kids I

saw going like 30 km an hour on E

Scooters with helmets I'm like how is is

that even legal you have to wear a

helmet right uh I'm not sure what the E

scooter rule is but I would imagine if

wear one I think yeah up um so protect

your brain yeah that's by protecting

your head yes this one is a tricky one

for some parts of the world pollution

air pollution has been identified as a

risk factor for dementia so you know how

modifiable is that move if you live in

an area try and spend as much time away

from pollution as possible which you

recognize it's not always a practical

solution or on the days when they warn

that the air quality is very very poor

stay inside unfortunately um but I kind

of joking when I said move yeah but I

mean obviously you can people in the

country are getting this probably a lot

less frequently than City City Slickers

city Folk City Folk okay number 12 is

social isolation and this is a a

critical one lots of Studies have shown

that in order to successfully age as

well as prevent dementia you need to

stay connected whether that's with your

family with your friends with a purpose

of some sort volunteerism a job we need

to stay connected and not be socially

isolated and our phones and the internet

have really exacerbated this and the

pandemic highlighted it get yourself

connected get connected leave a comment

comment is kind of socially engaging

part of our community that probably

doesn't count unfortunately as far as

not being socially isolated because

people will use that say I got lots of

friends I got like 00 friends on

Facebook or something it's a start it's

a start the next modifiable risk factor

is vision loss okay how's this

modifiable well wear glasses go see your

eye doctor do what you have to do to

keep your vision up and I think the

vision loss and the hearing loss they're

kind of tied into the social Isolation

part of things right sure I think it

also could decrease education right

you're going to learn less you're going

to read less you're read yeah get your

eyes checked make sure your vision's

good for a variety of reasons so you

don't trip off the curb break a hip we

see that all the time but in terms of

dementia Vision poor vision is a risk

factor okay the last of the 14 monop

risk factors going to irritate a lot of

people you're irritating me with this

one okay so elevated LDL or low density

Lev protein or high cholesterol

essentially we know that a lot of people

don't believe that this is the real

thing well unfortunately science has

proven that it is a very real thing yes

cholesterol is necessary science damn

you yes our bodies make it but excess

levels are dangerous and they're part of

what leads to plaque in our vessels

particularly the vessels in our necks

that feed our brains and can lead to

dementia this was one of the later ads

to this report yeah high cholesterol so

however you want to do it try and get

your cholesterol lowered now you know

that's it 14 and it's it's a lot it's

obviously stuff that's all part of a lot

of it's part of living a healthy

lifestyle so making better food choices

being active like we talk about reduce

your stress get a good night sleep stay

connected be socially involved that's it

that's the report now you know leave a

comment if you um like or don't like any

of these and if you like this Channel

please like And subscribe to our Channel

yeah please subscribe if you're not

already and remember you are in charge

of your own health and it turns out

you're kind of in charge of whether or

not you're going to get dementia to a

certain degree for sure we'll see you

next time