This Condition May Raise Your Early-Onset Dementia Risk by 24%, New Study Says – EatingWell
2025-04-28T21:06:12Z
Learn what this study suggests regarding the link between metabolic syndrome and developing dementia before age 65. Plus, how to lower your risk.
Key Takeaways A new study suggests metabolic syndrome increases the risk of dementia diagnosis before age 65.
In some cases, you can reverse metabolic syndrome through healthy habit changes.
Diet, exercise, stress, sleep and socialization all influence metabolic syndrome and dementia risk.
Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of several conditions, and it’s diagnosed in people who exhibit three of five conditions, including high waist circumference, low HDL (beneficial) cholesterol, high blood pressure, high blood sugar and high blood triglycerides.
The prevalence of metabolic syndrome tends to increase as we get older. One study cites the rate at nearly 20% for those 20 to 39 years old but nearly 50% of those aged 60 and over. Metabolic syndrome increases your risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes—it also increases your risk of dementia.
While we often think of dementia and metabolic syndrome as being diseases of “old age,” there is evidence that these conditions may be on the increase in younger people. This connection and prevalence is an area researchers in Korea wanted to hone in on and learn more about. The research team published their findings in the American Academy of Neurology’s journal Neurology. Let’s break down what they found.
How Was This Study Conducted?
The goal of this study was to investigate the association between metabolic syndrome in midlife (ages 40 to 60) and the incidence of young-onset dementia. Young-onset dementia, also called early-onset dementia, is dementia diagnosed before age 65. The researchers also examined which components of metabolic syndrome are most strongly associated with an increased risk of young-onset dementia.
Researchers drew their data from the Korean National Insurance Service, a government-run health insurance system in South Korea that covers more than 99% of its population. The services include regular biennial health checkups that gather clinical and lifestyle data, income levels and medical diagnoses.
After initially extracting data for more than 4 million people, researchers ultimately included around 2 million participants between the ages of 40 and 60 for this study who had undergone a general health screening in 2009. Participants were followed for an average of eight years. Just over half of the participants were men.
Of the participants, just over 25% met the criteria for metabolic syndrome. This included having at least three of the following:
Elevated waist circumference: ≥90 cm in men, ≥80 cm in women
High blood pressure: systolic blood pressure ≥130 mm Hg, or diastolic blood pressure ≥85 mm Hg; or use of medication for high blood pressure
High blood sugar levels: elevated fasting glucose ≥100 mg/dL or use of oral medication for high blood sugar
High blood triglycerides: ≥150 mg/dL or use of medication for high triglycerides
Low HDL (beneficial) cholesterol: <40 mg/dL in men, <50 mg/dL in women; or use of medication for low HDL-C About 60% of the metabolic syndrome group were participants in their 50s, and 40% in their 40s. Men made up over 62% of this group. Researchers gathered demographic and lifestyle data that were adjusted for during statistical analyses. These included age, BMI, smoking status, alcohol consumption, regular exercise and income level. In addition, they also gathered medical diagnoses of the participants that occurred during the study period, focusing on dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. What Did This Study Show? After running several statistical analyses, results suggested that metabolic syndrome in people ages 40 to 60 was associated with a: 24% higher risk of all-cause young-onset dementia—all-cause meaning all types of dementia. 12% increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. 21% increased risk of vascular dementia—a type of dementia caused by damage to the brain’s blood vessels, thus reducing blood flow and oxygen to the brain. Researchers also broke findings down for men and women. They found that men with metabolic syndrome had a 15% higher risk of young-onset dementia, and women with metabolic syndrome had a 34% higher risk of young-onset dementia. In addition, being diagnosed with metabolic syndrome in the 40s increased the risk of young-onset dementia more than being diagnosed in the 50s. And while all the components (risk factors) of metabolic syndrome were associated with an increased risk of young-onset dementia, the risk progressively increased with the number of components present. Researchers pointed out several limitations of their study. First, they cannot say whether their results extend to people outside of South Korea. They also did not include other variables that influence young-onset dementia risk, like the presence of certain genes, family history of YOD, history of traumatic brain injury, hearing loss and education level. Researchers note that they also lacked detailed behavioral (i.e. mental health) and environmental data, which can also influence dementia risk. How Does This Apply to Real Life? Dementia is more than just forgetting someone’s name or where you put your keys. It interferes with one’s ability to think, remember, understand, communicate and reason. Over time, it diminishes physical abilities, too, as the brain forgets how to do simple activities that used to be second nature. While influenced by genetics, the components of metabolic syndrome may be a result of lifestyle choices. And they’re the same lifestyle choices that also influence your risk of other diseases, including heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and dementia. And many of these diseases and conditions are linked. For example, type 2 diabetes has been associated with an increased risk of dementia. And healthy cholesterol levels reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke, as well as dementia. Considering how all of these conditions are intertwined, it makes sense that there might be a common denominator. Scientists believe one of them is chronic inflammation, which can have several causes, including chronic stress, poor sleep quality, poor diet quality, microbiome imbalances and lack of physical activity. That means certain lifestyle changes can help on that front, too.With that said, nothing is perfect, and no one habit—or combination of habits—will guarantee you will be free of inflammation or disease. But evidence does lean toward people with healthier habits being at lower risk. Not sure where to begin? What habit are you most likely to see the quickest success in? For example, do you enjoy a walk or a trip to the gym occasionally? Maybe start there, gradually building a regular habit. Or if you’ve been wanting to branch out and try some new recipes, now could be a good time to add some tasty, healthy options to your arsenal. For inspiration, we have meal plans for just about any goal or condition. To get going, check out this beginner-friendly anti-inflammatory plan or this 30-day MIND diet plan, designed specifically for brain health. If you’ve tried everything to get a good night’s sleep but are still struggling, consider a visit with your healthcare practitioner. You might have a sleep disorder, like insomnia or obstructive sleep apnea, and they may be able to help you with specific strategies to help sleep come easily. The Bottom Line Overall, this study suggests that individuals diagnosed with metabolic syndrome in midlife have a higher likelihood of developing young-onset dementia compared with those without metabolic syndrome. Lifestyle choices and habits play a huge role in disease risk. Start today by doing one beneficial thing for your health and then repeat it each day. Over time, small changes can become big improvements.
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