5 Everyday Habits Associated With Brain Health

Dementia can feel like something that either happens to you or doesn’t — genetics, bad luck, nothing to do about it. The research doesn’t back that up. A major 2024 analysis estimates how much dementia in a population is linked to 14 modifiable risk factors.

The headline number

The standing Lancet Commission on dementia prevention reviewed the global evidence and identified 14 modifiable risk factors spanning your whole life — things like hearing loss, high LDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, physical inactivity, smoking, social isolation, and untreated vision problems. Their estimate: addressing all 14 could prevent or delay roughly 45% of dementia cases worldwide. That figure assumes all 14 factors were eliminated, and some of them, such as education early in life and air pollution, are societal rather than personal choices.^[1]

That’s not a guarantee for any one person — genetics and age still matter, and dementia is not fully preventable. But a large share of population-level risk sitting in factors that can be changed is a bigger lever than most people assume. It is a population estimate, not a measure of your own risk.

Two factors are the largest on the Commission’s list, at about 7% each: untreated hearing loss and high LDL cholesterol in midlife. Ask your clinician about cholesterol screening if you have not had a lipid panel recently.

5 habits worth actually building

• Get your hearing checked. Untreated hearing loss is one of the largest single modifiable risk factors identified — a cheap hearing test is an easy first move.
• Move most days, not just “when you can.” Physical inactivity is on the Commission’s list of risk factors, so regular activity is linked to lower dementia risk.
• Keep your blood pressure in a healthy range. Midlife hypertension is on the Commission’s list of modifiable risk factors — this is a conversation worth having with your doctor, not a DIY project.
• Protect your social world. Isolation is on the list for a reason; regular real-world connection is linked to lower risk, though the evidence is observational.
• Treat depression and stay mentally engaged. Depression is on the Commission’s list. The Commission also recommends staying cognitively active, though that is advice, not one of the 14 factors; low education early in life is. Learning something new is a reasonable habit, and so is getting support if your mood has been low for a while.

Where this leaves you

None of these habits are exotic. That’s sort of the point — the risk factors on the Commission’s list are largely the boring cardiovascular, sensory, and social basics, compounding over decades. If dementia runs in your family, talk to your doctor about your personal risk profile rather than relying on general habits alone.

References

1. Livingston G, Huntley J, Liu KY, et al. “Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2024 report of the Lancet Standing Commission.” The Lancet, 2024;404(10452):572-628. Finding used: the Commission identified 14 modifiable risk factors across the life course and estimated that eliminating all of them could prevent or delay approximately 45% of dementia cases. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(24)01296-0. ↑︎

Kurt Greiner

Kurt is a digital strategist and IT professional blending emerging technology with practical application to help businesses and individuals streamline their digital presence. His current work focuses on the intersection of intentional living and technological resilience, exploring how individuals can leverage modern tools to navigate the second half of life with purpose.