Nearly all Michiganders age 50 and over say it is very important to keep their brains healthy as they grow older, according to a poll released on June 18. However, less than half of middle-aged and older Michiganders know that everyday actions can be very important for reducing their future risk of dementia.
The Michigan Poll on Healthy Aging found that only half or fewer respondents practice at least one of four key habits daily or most days that can protect brain health as they age. The data also show regional differences within the state, with people aged 50 and over in the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula less likely to believe that healthy lifestyle behaviors are very important for reducing dementia risk.
The poll surveyed 1,293 Michigan adults aged 50 to 93 and compared them to more than 2,800 non-Michigan adults. It found that Michigan adults were less likely than their national counterparts to believe lifestyle factors are very important in maintaining brain health—70% versus 76%. The survey listed fifteen health and lifestyle factors commonly associated with lower dementia risk, asking respondents how important each was for brain health. Respondents rated each factor as 'very important' between 61% and 68% of the time.
Roberts, Outreach, Recruitment & Engagement Core Lead at the Michigan Alzheimer's Disease Center, said, "At the same time, it's also important to educate older adults to be wary of 'too good to be true' products such as nutritional supplements now being marketed to preserve brain health." Roberts recently presented these findings at a summit of the Michigan Dementia Coalition.
Poll director Jeffrey Kullgren said, "Healthcare providers across our state, and our nation, could do much more to help our patients understand the link between the lifestyle choices they make today and their future brain health. Our state's adult population has high rates of risk factors for dementia, and we need to work together to address them at every age." Most older Michiganders said they would want more information about brain health from healthcare providers; however, only about one in four had discussed this topic with their provider.
New prescription medications designed to slow decline in early cognitive impairment have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in recent years along with blood tests for biomarkers related to Alzheimer's disease. Despite these advances, there is no cure for dementia at any stage, making prevention through lifestyle changes crucial.
