Lack of access to high-quality education at an early age; being overweight during early adulthood; or having high blood pressure, diabetes and two or more risk factors for heart health in adolescence, the 20s and midlife were significantly related to cognitive problems and dementia in adulthood, according to new research.
All of those risk factors are likely to affect low-income people of color, said Maria Carrillo, scientific director of the Alzheimer’s Association.
“We have known for quite some time that African Americans are twice as likely, and Latinos are one and a half times more likely than their white counterparts to have Alzheimer’s or related dementia,” he told CNN.
“But what we found in these studies is that having those risks in adolescence means they really stick with you over time,” he continued.
“This is important to highlight, especially at this time, when we are thinking about those comorbidities (risk factors) that people most affected by the Covid-19 virus seem to have.”
Obesity and illness in youth.
Two of the studies explored the impact in adolescents and 20s on the risk of subsequent dementia for people with a higher body mass index (BMI) or risk factors for heart disease.
One analyzed data from more than 700 African Americans in adolescence, adulthood, and middle age, and found that heart-related conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, were associated with significantly worse cognition at the end of life. That was true even after adjusting for age, gender, and education.
From adolescence to adulthood, African Americans tend to be at increased risk for cardiovascular disease risk factors compared to other racial and ethnic groups. So instead of focusing on risk factors in the black community in midlife, preventive interventions should start in adolescence, according to the study.
A second study looked at the impact of body mass index (BMI) at the age of 20 on the risk of dementia in adulthood for more than 5,000 men and women participating in two national longitudinal studies.
In women, being overweight (having a BMI of 25 or more) at age 20 increased the risk of dementia by 1.8 times. When body weight went up to 30 BMI or more, who is clinically obese, the risk increased 2.5 times more compared to normal-weight 20-year-old women.
There was no association between higher BMI and dementia risk among middle-aged women, suggesting that being overweight at younger ages should play a role.
For men, being obese at age 20 increased the risk of dementia by 2.5 times. Men who were simply overweight in middle age had a 1.5-fold increased risk, but increased to 2-fold if the man was obese.
For both sexes, the risk of dementia was higher in adulthood, which makes sense, since age itself is a primary risk factor.
“It is very rare to find a study that tracks people from early adolescence to middle age, and then as older people,” Carillo said. “So that’s why we really wanted to highlight this. We also want to think about how to counter this trend, because these are behaviors that are modifiable.”
Early education
It is a long-term, community-based study of dementia that followed nearly 6,000 older people up to age 25. The study tracked variables such as the length of the school period, the pupil-teacher ratio, the compulsory age for school enrollment, the minimum age for dropping out, and student attendance.
The analysis found that black men and women who attended school in states with lower educational standards experience a faster decline in memory and language in adulthood.
On the other hand, going to higher quality schools as a child was associated with better language and memory performance, and a lower risk of dementia in later life. Carillo said that is because higher education creates a kind of “cognitive reserve” that helps the brain keep memory loss and other symptoms at bay than someone with less access to education.
“Imagine you have a tree with amazing branches and complex leaf structures and a storm is coming and blowing very hard,” said Carillo. “It will lose fewer leaves and branches. It will still stay full.”
“And that’s exactly what our brains are, just this amazing nerve tissue architecture and connections,” he said. “The more you learn, the more connections you will have and the more you can afford to lose a little and be trimmed or pruned as we age.”
Low-income families of color can live in areas with few high-quality schools. Parents can’t afford to send their child to stimulating daycare or after-school programs, and they may not have the time or resources to enrich the child’s life at home with books, music, art, or other educational experiences.
Furthermore, food deserts are common, health insurance is expensive, and public health care is patchy, often harming a child’s nutritional needs as well.
“I am a Mexican American. I grew up in downtown Chicago with parents who did not speak English,” Carillo said. “I’m glad to have had that experience, but I can also tell you that these social determinants of health are really significant in our communities.
“Not having access to good health care, not having access to information about healthier foods or choices we make is a very real thing,” he said.
And finally there is the impact of violence, both at home and in the community, as well as the growing understanding by scientists that racism, itself, can contribute to stress and negatively affect the brain and body of child.
“We know that stress in particular is closely related to cognition challenges and increased risk of dementia,” said Carillo.
What can be done? Carillo acknowledged that families may not be able to control the neighborhood in which their children were born, their race, socioeconomic status, or genetics, but there are actions to take.
“What you can really see is making sure that the kids stay in school, making sure they finish high school,” Carillo said, adding that you can also teach kids to stay active and constantly challenged to learn new things throughout life, even at its best. years of retirement.
“That cognitive reserve is so critical,” he said. “It is never too early or too late to take steps to protect your memory and thinking skills.”
.
