A recent study has discovered a link between three common lifestyle habits and an increased risk of developing dementia.
Small lifestyle changes may be effective in lowering the chance of developing the syndrome later in life.
The research, which was carried out in the Netherlands, found that people who smoked, had high blood pressure, and had a poor diet were generally poorer at tests that involved thinking skills and more likely to possess cognitive impairment.
In men, these test scores are associated with brain shrinkage and poorer memory.
Although age remains the biggest risk factor for developing dementia and there is no cure, making changes such as stopping smoking and consuming a diet with less saturated and trans fats may lower the risk of developing it.
Over 4,100 people - with an average age of 59 - participated in the study, which involved sitting a test called the “Lifestyle for Brain Health” (LIBRA).
The total score reflects a person’s potential for developing dementia taking into account 11 out of 12 lifestyle factors on the test, including high blood pressure, heart disease, smoking, diet and physical activity.
Participants in the study took tests of memory and other thinking skills, such as information processing speed, executive function and attention.
Researchers also looked at brain scans for signs of cerebral small vessel disease, which are signs of vascular brain damage that are often seen in patients who have dementia.
They found that people who were in the high-risk group on the LIBRA test, indicating a less brain-healthy lifestyle, had three main lifestyle habits which increased their risk and lowered their test scores.
High blood pressure, particularly in middle age, significantly increases the risk of dementia, according to research.
Studies show that sufferers in a critical period between the ages of 30-50 are two thirds more likely to develop the incurable brain condition.
Smokers have a 45 per cent higher risk of getting dementia than non-smokers, warns the World Health Organization.
