DCU-led Project Suggests Healthy Lifestyle Can Cut Risk of Dementia in Half

Lifestyle can significantly support long term cognitive health, according to the DCU-led and EU-funded In-MINDD project, Research shows that cardio-vascular health and fitness, diet, sleep and mood are all modifiable risk factors for dementia. Healthy lifestyle in the middle age can help you  cut your risk of dementia in half, as only around 5% of dementia cases are genetically inherited.  According to Dr Kate Irving of DCU, the coordinator of the project, "Dementia is the number one fear of ageing and yet people don’t know that 50% of our cognitive health is in our own hands". As one of their research output, the project team developed an online tool for 40-60 year olds to assess how their lifestyle sustains their brain health.