US scientists find that lifestyle changes like diet, exercise can help reduce dementia risk

Right now, over 6 million people in the United States are living with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias. As the population ages, that number is expected to nearly double by 2050.

While there’s still no cure, scientists are uncovering powerful ways to slow down cognitive decline—and one of the most promising discoveries just came out.

Lifestyle changes that really work for your brain

A major new study has revealed some of the strongest evidence yet that certain lifestyle changes—like eating well, staying active, and keeping your brain engaged—can actually improve thinking and memory in older adults.Researchers followed more than 2,100 sedentary adults in their 60s and 70s over the course of two years.

These weren’t fitness junkies or brain training fanatics—just regular people who started making more consistent, healthy changes. The ones who stuck to the program showed noticeable improvements in mental sharpness, and even better—they slowed down the usual memory and thinking decline that comes with aging.The regimen wasn’t extreme. It included a healthy diet, regular physical activity, and brain exercises—the kind you can do from home or in a group setting.

So if you’ve ever wondered whether those small lifestyle tweaks really make a difference, the answer is: yes, they do. According to this study, taking care of your body and brain can literally keep your mind younger—and that’s something we could all use a little more of.During the study, participants were encouraged for increased physical and cognitive activity, healthy diet, social engagement, and cardiovascular health monitoring, but differed in structure, intensity, and accountability.The scientists found that among older adults at risk of cognitive decline and dementia, a structured, higher-intensity intervention had a statistically significant greater benefit on global cognition compared with an unstructured, self-guided intervention. In short: having a plan and sticking to it worked better than trying to go it alone. If you're concerned about memory or brain aging, this shows that joining a more focused program—or even creating one with structure and support—might help keep your mind sharper for longer.

What they found was pretty clear: a structured, more intense program worked better than just doing things on your own without a plan.

What does structured lifestyle intervention mean?

The group that followed the structured program had a pretty solid plan. Over two years, they met 38 times with coaches and team members who helped guide them through everything. They got clear activity plans and tracked how well they stuck to them.Their weekly routine included aerobic workouts (like walking or biking) four times a week, resistance training twice a week, and stretching/flexibility exercises twice a week.They also followed the MIND diet, which focuses on brain-friendly foods, and did online brain training using a program called BrainHQ three times a week. On top of that, their blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels were checked twice a year to help stay on track.As a fun bonus, they could get up to $10 a month back for buying blueberries—one of the MIND diet’s brain-boosting superfoods!

What about the other team?

The self-guided group took a more relaxed, do-it-yourself approach.

They got access to educational materials that are publicly available—like brochures or online info—and were encouraged to make lifestyle changes in whatever way worked best for them and their own schedules.They had a total of six group meetings over two years, where they got support and encouragement from peers and staff, but there wasn’t any structured coaching or goal-setting like in the other group. It was more about offering motivation than giving specific instructions.To help with behavior changes, participants were given $75 gift cards during the team meetings. And just like the structured group, they had yearly health checkups at clinic visits to monitor things like blood pressure and cholesterol.The study based on The US Study to Protect Brain Health Through Lifestyle Intervention to Reduce Risk (US POINTER) was presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in Toronto. The findings have been published in JAMA journal.