A large-scale study has uncovered a worrying link between metabolic syndrome — a cluster of health conditions like high blood pressure and high blood sugar — and an increased risk of developing young-onset dementia, a form of the disease that strikes before the age of 65.
Published Wednesday in the journal Neurology, the study tracked nearly 2 million Koreans aged 40 to 60 over an 11-year period through the country’s National Health Insurance Service.
Researchers found that those with metabolic syndrome were 24% more likely to develop dementia than those without the condition.
Read Also: WHO warns of rising dementia cases in refugee camps, calls for immediate action
Metabolic syndrome is diagnosed when a person has at least three of the following: high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, excess belly fat, or abnormal levels of cholesterol or triglycerides. In the study, about 25% of participants met this criteria.
While only 0.45% of all study participants developed young-onset dementia over the decade, the increased risk was significant — and more pronounced in certain groups.
Women with metabolic syndrome had a 34% higher chance of developing dementia, compared to a 15% increase in men. People in their 40s were also more vulnerable than those in their 50s.
“The key takeaway (of the study) is that metabolic syndrome significantly increases the risk of developing young-onset dementia,” which is dementia before age 65,” said lead study investigator Dr. Minwoo Lee.
Looking at dementia types, metabolic syndrome raised the risk of Alzheimer’s by 12% and vascular dementia — which is linked to impaired blood flow in the brain — by 21%.
Dr. Richard Isaacson, a preventive neurologist and director of research at the Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases in Boca Raton, Florida who is one of the researchers, said, “Dementia is among our most feared diseases, and developing dementia at an early age is even more worrisome. “
Lee added that healthier lifestyle habits — such as regular exercise, enough sleep, balance diet and consistent medical care — could play a role in reducing the risk of developing dementia later in life.
