A new study out of London says that lifestyle factors can play a big role in your risk of developing dementia. The study outlines 9 ‘potentially modifiable’ risk factors that we can address to prevent the brain changes that begin to develop years before a dementia diagnosis is made.

Here they are:

• Mid-life (untreated) hearing loss – responsible for 9% of the risk
• Failing to complete secondary education – 8%
• Smoking – 5%
• Failing to seek early treatment for depression – 4%
• Physical inactivity – 3%
• Social isolation – 2%
• High blood pressure – 2%
• Obesity – 1%
• Type 2 diabetes – 1%

These risk factors add up to 35% of your risk of dementia; the other 65% is believed to be potentially non-modifiable.

It’s interesting that smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity/lack of exercise can contribute to hearing damage, and depression and social isolation are common ‘side effects’ of untreated hearing loss.