Five Simple Lifestyle Changes Could Cut Your Dementia Risk by 60%—Here's What the Research Shows

If you're worried about dementia because your parents or siblings developed it, new research offers real hope: adopting four or five healthy lifestyle factors could reduce your Alzheimer's risk by approximately 60% compared to people who follow none or just one of these habits. The findings come from Rush University researchers who tracked thousands of people over 14 years, making this one of the most compelling studies on dementia prevention to date.

What Five Lifestyle Factors Actually Protect Your Brain?

The Rush research team identified five specific low-risk lifestyle factors that work together to shield your brain from cognitive decline. These aren't vague recommendations—they're concrete, measurable habits that participants either adopted or didn't.

• Regular Physical Activity: At least 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous exercise, which could include brisk walking, swimming, or cycling.
• Healthy Diet: Following nutritional patterns that support brain health, though the source emphasizes the importance of overall dietary quality rather than a single food.
• Cognitive Stimulation: Engaging in mentally challenging activities like puzzles, reading, learning new skills, or social games that keep your mind active.
• Not Smoking: Avoiding tobacco entirely, as smoking accelerates cognitive decline and increases dementia risk.
• Light to Moderate Alcohol Intake: Limiting alcohol consumption to moderate levels, which research suggests is better for brain health than heavy drinking or abstinence.

The research team examined data from nearly 2,800 participants across two long-term studies: the Chicago Health and Aging Project (1,845 participants) and the Rush Memory and Aging Project (920 participants). Over the 14-year follow-up period, 379 people in the first group and 229 in the second group developed Alzheimer's dementia. The difference between those who followed multiple healthy habits and those who didn't was striking.

How Much Does Each Additional Habit Matter?

Here's what makes this research particularly encouraging: you don't have to be perfect. Each additional healthy habit you adopt reduces your dementia risk by approximately 27%. This means the benefits are cumulative. If you're currently sedentary and don't exercise, adding regular physical activity alone could meaningfully lower your risk. Add a healthier diet, and you're compounding the protection. This incremental approach makes the goal feel achievable rather than overwhelming.

"This study highlights the importance of following multiple healthy lifestyle practices for lowering the risk of Alzheimer's dementia," said Dr. Klodian Dhana, assistant professor in Rush Medical College's Department of Internal Medicine. "In the U.S., adherence to a healthy lifestyle is low, and therefore promoting these lifestyle factors should become the primary goal for public health policies."

Why This Matters Even If Dementia Runs in Your Family

One of the most important aspects of this research is that it shows lifestyle factors can counteract genetic risk. The study specifically enrolled people who had a parent or sibling with memory loss or dementia—meaning they were already at higher risk due to family history. Yet even in this higher-risk group, those who adopted four or five healthy habits saw approximately 60% lower risk compared to those who didn't follow these practices.

This finding challenges the idea that dementia is inevitable if it runs in your family. While genetics matter, they're not destiny. Your daily choices—what you eat, whether you move your body, how you challenge your mind—can meaningfully influence whether you develop cognitive decline.

What's Next: The POINTER Study

Rush University is now taking the research a step further with a large-scale clinical trial called the U.S. Study to Protect Brain Health Through Lifestyle Intervention to Reduce Risk, or POINTER. This two-year study will enroll 2,000 adults between ages 60 and 79 who don't currently have memory problems but have a family history of dementia and don't exercise regularly.

The POINTER trial is designed to test whether a structured, intensive lifestyle program works better than a self-guided approach. Participants will receive physical exercise guidance, nutritional counseling, cognitive and social stimulation, and help managing their overall health. Researchers will assess cognitive changes every six months using gold-standard testing tools, and initial results are expected in 2023.

This research builds on earlier findings from Finland's FINGER study, which showed that combining physical activity, nutritional guidance, cognitive training, social activities, and management of heart health risk factors protected cognition in healthy older adults at risk of decline. "There is an urgent need to expand this work to test the generalizability, adaptability and sustainability of the FINGER study's findings in geographically and culturally diverse populations in the U.S. and across the globe," explained Martha Clare Morris, ScD, lead site investigator for the Chicago hub of the POINTER study.

The bottom line: dementia prevention isn't about one magic solution. It's about weaving together multiple healthy habits into your daily life. If you're concerned about your cognitive future, the evidence suggests that starting with even one or two of these factors—whether that's adding a daily walk, trying a brain-training game, or cutting back on alcohol—can set you on a path toward meaningful protection.