RELATED: This Dementia Sign Can Show Up 16 Years Before Diagnosis, New Study Says. A group of researchers from the Ottawa Hospital, the University of Ottawa, the Bruyère Research Institute, and ICES worked together to create an online calculator that can help people over the age of 55 understand their brain health and how they can reduce their risk of developing dementia. The research behind the development was published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health on June 25. Based on surveys of over 75,000 people, the Project Big Life Dementia Calculator “predicts your five-year risk of being diagnosed with dementia for individuals who are 55 years of age and older, live in the community (i.e., not in long-term care or a retirement home), and have not already been diagnosed with dementia.” RELATED: If You Notice This When Talking, It Could Be an Early Dementia Sign, Study Says. The algorithm, called the Dementia Population Risk Tool, is what helps the calculator assess your risk. According to a statement, the tool consider some factors that are out of your control, such as age, ethnicity, immigration status, and activities where assistance is needed. But lifestyle choices like alcohol consumption, physical activity, diet, number of languages spoken, and marital status are also factored in. Environmental factors, your education, and other health conditions play a role as well. “What sets this dementia risk calculator apart is that you don’t need to visit a doctor for any tests,” study lead author Stacey Fisher, PhD, said in the statement. “People already have all the information they need to complete the calculator in the comfort of their home.” People can easily use the results of the calculator to help them identify which parts of their lifestyle they should adjust, if any, the statement notes.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb RELATED: For more health news delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. The calculator can help you pinpoint specific areas you could alter to mitigate your risk of dementia. However, there are also a handful of lifestyle choices that can help reduce nearly anyone’s chances of cognitive decline. According to the statement, “about a third of dementia may be preventable through lifestyle factors like physical activity, healthy eating, reducing alcohol … and managing conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure.” RELATED: If You Notice This When Driving, It Could Be an Early Sign of Dementia.
