What can you do to reduce the risk of developing dementia? The general advice is: eating healthy, keeping active, reducing alcohol intake and stopping smoking. But what about people with an increased risk for dementia, such as people with diabetes type II? Will this general advice be enough to keep them away from this devastating disease?

A recent UK study investigated this question. The researchers assumed that the high levels of health indicators, that lead to damage of blood vessels and various heart problems, might also play a role in the development of dementia in people with diabetes type II. To such health indicators belong blood pressure, bodyweight, blood sugars and cholesterol levels.

To prove their assumption, they analyzed the changes in these health indicators from 227.580 people with diabetes type II.

Indeed, people with diabetes type II, who developed dementia later in life, had prior to diagnosis (between 11 and 19 years) higher levels of all investigated health indicators. In other words, high levels of blood sugar, bodyweight, blood pressure and cholesterol can contribute to the development of dementia up to 20 years before symptoms arise!

So what can people with diabetes type II do about this? They and their doctors need to monitor and manage their health indicators to stay within the normal range to prevent or delay dementia.

Curious? HERE is the source