Relationship between lifestyle habits and dementia among community dwelling older adult : Findings from a 6-year follow up(Paper & Abstract September 17th)

抄録

Background: Dementia is one of the most common diseases in the elderly. Japan has the highest life expectancy in the world, which means that serious health problems such as dementia are prevalent among a large segment of the Japanese population. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between lifestyle habits and dementia among community dwelling older adults by conducting a cohort study. Methods: This was a prospective cohort study conducted over 6 years. The study was carried out in a farming community near a major urban center in Japan. Results: The participants consisted of 525 elderly adults aged 65 years or older. Multiple logistic regression analysis after adjustment for sex and age indicated that the diagnosis of dementia was 4.0 times higher among participants who did not take breakfast (p<0.01, CI=1.3-11.8), 2.7 times higher among participants who did snack (p<0.05, CI=1.1-6.5), 2.5 times higher among participants who did not care for salt consumption (p<0.05, CI=1.1-5.8), and 2.7 times higher among participants who did not care for nutrient balance (p<0.05, CI=1.2-6.2). Conclusion: According to our results, several lifestyle habits were associated with dementia. Appropriate interventions are required for high-risk individuals, including those with mild cognitive impairment. Evaluation and counseling by the physician is likely to strongly influence patient and caregiver awareness of dementia and hopefully slow disease progression. We suggest that public nurses may have the capacity to assess community dwelling elderly individuals in this manner in the Japanese health system.