Diabetes at midlife influences risk of diabetes and cognitive decline in later years

the Oncology Nurse Advisor take:

Substantial cognitive decline is associated with diabetes, prediabetes, and poor glucose control. The potential decline begins at midlife, when poor dietary habits and a lack of exercise leads to diabetes at approximately age 50 years.

These are the findings of a study by researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland. The researchers analyzed data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study involving 15,792 middle-age adults who had been followed since 1987.

The participants’ health was assessed approximately every 3 years, and a fifth assessment was conducted between 2011 and 2013. Three of the assessments included analysis of participants’ cognitive function. The rate of cognitive decline among the study participants was compared with age-related cognitive decline in the general population.

The researchers found that study participants with poorly controlled diabetes were 19% more likely to experience cognitive decline, or approximately 5 years sooner than healthy persons of the same age. The researchers conclude that to have a healthy brain at age 70 years, people need to eat right and exercise in their 50s.