2 weeks Ago By Noah Losing
FARGO — A new study links prediabetes in younger individuals to a higher risk of dementia. This comes from the ARIC, or Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. The study enrolled people between the ages of 45 and 64.
They say those who developed type 2 diabetes before the age of 60, had three times the risk of getting dementia later in life, compared to those who didn't have type 2 diabetes. A person is considered prediabetic if they have abnormal blood sugars that aren't abnormal enough to be diagnosed with diabetes. Both cause increased inflammation and an increased rate of plaque formation to the brain.
Doctors say for people with diabetes, it's crucial to stay up to date on checkups. "They should be periodically screened for dementia once they get to about 50 or 55 years of age, and that can be done by your healthcare provider at your appointments," Dr. Eric Johnson, a diabetes expert with Altru, said.
In the U.S., 96 million people have been diagnosed with prediabetes, and 36 million people have diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"Prediabetes and type 2 diabetes lead to a number of complications like heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, eye disease and nerve damage. And avoiding prediabetes and type 2 diabetes altogether is the best strategy to avoid these complications," Johnson said. Doctors say to help reduce your risk, get about 150 minutes of exercise or more per week.
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