A new research article published in the journal Neurology has shown that not following healthy habits in middle age, such as not getting regular exercise or not eating a healthy diet, is linked with a higher risk of stroke, depression, and dementia later in life.
The prospective study used data from the UK Biobank and the All of Us study in the U.S. and included data from over 380,000 participants. The participants were studied in two groups: about 316,000 from the UK Biobank and about 68,000 from the All of Us study. Participants had their health habits evaluated and were divided into groups with optimal, intermediate, and poor scores based on these behaviors. The health habits were based on the American Heart Association’s “Life’s Essential 8,” which include staying physically active; eating a healthy diet; maintaining a healthy weight; not smoking; maintaining healthy blood pressure; getting enough sleep; controlling cholesterol levels; and controlling blood sugar levels. After their health habits were measured, participants were followed for five years, and their health records were evaluated for the development of neurological conditions including stroke, dementia, and depression. The goal of the study was to see whether heart-healthy behaviors were linked to brain health later in life.
The results showed that people in the poor category of health habits were about twice as likely to develop stroke, dementia, or depression compared to those in the optimal category. People in the intermediate category were about 37% more likely to have one of the conditions compared to those in the optimal category.
The authors of the study noted that brain health is extremely important for wellbeing, and this study shows that healthy lifestyle choices are associated with better brain health later in life. All of the components of Life’s Essential 8 are factors that people can improve, so this study provides a useful blueprint for using behaviors that benefit cardiovascular health to improve both heart and brain health.
Sources: Neurology, Science Daily
