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Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
Molly Knudsen, M.S., RDN is a Registered Dietician Nutritionist with a bachelor’s degree in nutrition from Texas Christian University and a master’s in nutrition interventions, communication, and behavior change from Tufts University. She lives in Newport Beach, California, and enjoys connecting people to the food they eat and how it influences health and wellbeing.
Image by ZOA PHOTO / Stocksy
August 06, 2024
Neurological conditions like dementia (which include Alzheimer’s disease) are on the rise. While various factors contribute to a diagnosis, certain lifestyle considerations put folks at a greater risk of memory loss and brain aging than others.
About the study
In this study published in the journal Nature Communications, researchers looked at the brain scans of around 40,000 people over age 45 that are part of the UK Biobank database.
Their main area of interest was how lifestyle and genetic factors impact very specific areas of the brain that are particularly vulnerable to the effects of aging and Alzheimer’s disease.
- Lifestyle is considered a modifiable risk factor—because habits and choices can be changed at any point in a way that either increases or decreases the likelihood of developing a disease.
- Genetic factors are typically considered non-modifiable (although sometimes lifestyle habits influence whether or not a gene turns on).
The 3 biggest risk factors of faster brain aging
Overall, the analysis showed that three things in particular drove faster and earlier degeneration of these brain regions: diabetes, traffic-related air pollution, and alcohol intake frequency.
Now, all three of these are well-established risk factors for diabetes.
- Diabetes: Past research shows that having Type 2 diabetes2 can increase the risk of dementia by 60%.
- Air pollution: While we can’t always control the amount of air pollution we’re exposed to daily, it is something that societally, we can work to reduce. Emerging data shows that exposure to pollution3 over time does raise dementia risk.
- Alcohol frequency: Drinking (especially too much) has detrimental effects on the brain. A 2023 study published in the journal JAMA Open Network that included over 3 million people in Korea found that sustained heavy drinking increased the risk of dementia by 8%3. Conversely, limiting alcohol consumption was linked to an 8% lower risk.
The difference with this study was the reason behind why these factors are so dangerous for brain health—they target the brain’s weak spots.
The other modifiable factors
Other modifiable categories the researchers looked at included blood pressure, cholesterol, weight, smoking, depressive mood, inflammation, hearing, sleep, social patterns and relationships, diet, physical activity, and education status.
What role does genetics play?
We’d be remiss to leave out mention of some of the genetic findings (even though the methods and results of this testing are most useful in research settings—not for individuals).
Researchers found that certain genes that code for immune and inflammatory responses may influence poor brain aging. These genetic factors are also connected to some of the modifiable factors.
So, lifestyle may also help you overcome some genetic predispositions to early brain aging.
How to protect your brain & prevent dementia
Based on these study findings, we’ve rounded up our most actionable recommendations to protect the most vulnerable parts of your brain (and counter the top three risk factors):
The takeaway
We know that lifestyle choices and things you’re exposed to daily can accelerate brain aging and increase your chances of developing dementia.
It’s important to note that not all cases of dementia can be prevented through lifestyle choices alone. But adopting healthy habits can certainly offer a lot of protection and help you build your “brain bank” in case something does go wrong.