Healthy Lifestyles to Reduce Risk of Dementia

Dementia is characterised by cognitive impairment affecting daily life. Reducing lifestyle-related risk factors is currently the only method of treatment due to limited success of current pharmaceutical interventions. This chapter provides an overview of research on nutrients and their impact in preventing cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease. Physical activity and possibly cognitive activity may be more likely to have lifelong positive preventative effects against cognitive decline and dementia. We focus on studies investigating diet, nutrition, physical, and cognitive activities to both prevent and treat dementia symptoms. These studies suggest that a lifespan approach is needed, as some interventions are more successful in midlife (nutrition/diet, prevention of cardiovascular disease including obesity), while others, such as physical and cognitive activities, can still be effective in old age.