Lifestyle and health‐related risk factors and risk of cognitive aging among older veterans

Abstract

Lifestyle and health-related factors are critical components of the risk for cognitive aging among veterans. Because dementia has a prolonged prodromal phase, understanding effects across the life course could help focus the timing and duration of prevention targets. This perspective may be especially relevant for veterans and health behaviors. Military service may promote development and maintenance of healthy lifestyle behaviors, but the period directly after active duty has ended could be an important transition stage and opportunity to address some important risk factors. Targeting multiple pathways in one intervention may maximize efficiency and benefits for veterans. A recent review of modifiable risk factors for Alzheimer's disease estimated that a 25% reduction of a combination of seven modifiable risk factors including diabetes, hypertension, obesity, depression, physical inactivity, smoking, and education/cognitive inactivity could prevent up to 3 million cases worldwide and 492,000 cases in the United States. Lifestyle interventions to address cardiovascular health in veterans may serve as useful models with both physical and cognitive activity components, dietary intervention, and vascular risk factor management. Although the evidence is accumulating for lifestyle and health-related risk factors as well as military risk factors, more studies are needed to characterize these factors in veterans and to examine the potential interactions between them.

Age differences in arterial and venous extra-cerebral blood flow in healthy adults: contributions of vascular risk factors and genetic variants

“…Age- related differences in flow rate limited to a subgroup that was genetically predisposed to lesser synaptic dopamine availability. In contrast to stable and immutable genetic variations, vascular risk factors examined here can be modified and mitigated via life-style changes and pharmaceutical interventions (Yaffe et al 2014). Thus, if indeed the differences in blood flow rate are linked to declines in cognitive performance, addressing such modifiable factors can be a valuable contribution to ameliorating the course of aging.…”

Effectiveness of an Educational Program on Health Promoting Lifestyle of Spouses of Veterans With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

“…Generally, lifestyle involves regular daily activities, and people's health status is directly affected by such activities. A health promoting lifestyle includes behaviors, such as healthy diet, adequate physical activity, health care responsibility, stress management, good interpersonal relationship, and spiritual development (13). Health behavior studies in 35 different countries as a project by the World Health Organization (WHO) indicated that lifestyle and behaviors have about a 60% share in human health and QOL (11).…”

“…Health promotion empowers people to obtain greater control over their behaviors (14). It should be noted that several studies concentrated on promoting lifestyle and quality of life in veterans with PTSD (7,13,(15)(16)(17), whereas very few studies have considered people related to these veterans, especially their spouses (18)(19)(20).…”

Factors affecting aging cognitive function among community‐dwelling older adults

“…Unhealthy lifestyle behaviours are also associated with reduced cognitive function in elderly individuals (Lee et al, 2014). In particular, recent studies have reported that lifestyle-related factors (ie, physical activity, nutrition, quality of sleep, smoking, and alcohol consumption) are important risk factors for poor aging cognitive function (Yaffe, Hoang, Byers, Barnes, & Friedl, 2014).…”