Quitting tobacco and cutting salt may delay dementia

Health experts say that quitting tobacco and reducing salt intake can help lower the risk of dementia, a condition associated with cognitive decline and memory loss.

According to experts, these measures can help keep blood pressure within a healthy range and maintain stable blood sugar levels which may contribute to dementia prevention.

A new study conducted in the United States found that if people adopt three healthy habits during middle age — maintaining normal blood pressure, keeping blood sugar levels under control and avoiding smoking — the onset of dementia could potentially be delayed by around 13 years.

Researchers at New York University also found that dementia tends to develop later in women than in men regardless of their risk factors.

More than 900,000 people in the United Kingdom are currently living with dementia. The condition is among the leading causes of death in the country accounting for more than 74,000 deaths every year.

Most cases of dementia occur in people over the age of 65 while the risk of developing the condition approximately doubles every five years after the age of 65. However, growing scientific research suggests that dementia is not necessarily an inevitable part of ageing and that it can be prevented to a significant extent.

Adopting a healthy lifestyle, such as exercising regularly, eating a balanced diet and maintaining a healthy body weight, can reduce the risk of dementia by more than 45%.

A recent study by scientists at NYU Langone Health further suggests that if people maintain key health markers during middle age, they may be able to delay the onset of dementia by more than a decade.