Of course, we know that a healthy diet, moderate exercise and no smoking keep us away from various diseases. However, whether they also help when we are 80+, was unclear till know. A recent large study found that brain health of 80+ olds also benefits from a healthier lifestyle regardless whether a person carries APOE ε4 gene, the genetic Alzheimer’s risk.

The study analyzed the relationship between APOE ε4, lifestyle and cognition from 6.160 Chinese adults aged 80+ and confirmed that participants with a healthy lifestyle had a risk of cognitive impairment reduced by 55%. On the other hand, intermediately healthy lifestyle reduced the same risk by 28% compared to those with an unhealthy lifestyle.

These significant reductions of risk for developing dementia are remarkable as people with APOE ε4 are 17% more likely to have cognitive impairment than those with other variations of APOE gene according to the study.

In case you wonder, a healthy lifestyle was assessed in this study in the following categories: smoking, alcohol, diet, bodyweight and exercise.

Although the findings of this study are needed to be replicated among people from different nations, they are a good motivation to maintain your healthy lifestyle till the old(est) years of your life.

Curious? HERE is the source