Rachel Whitmer, PhD
Rachel Whitmer, PhD, research scientist, division of research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, California.
Much of the recent news about dementia prevention has been discouraging (see HealthyWoman from Bottom Line, October 24, 2010. But a recent large-scale, long-term study lends support to one risk-reduction strategy over which we do have significant control—cholesterol levels.
What this study found: Compared to people with normal cholesterol levels, those who had borderline-high cholesterol (200 mg/dL to 239 mg/dL) at age 40 to 45 were 52% more likely to develop dementia within 40 years. For those who had high cholesterol (240 mg/dL or above) at midlife, dementia risk was elevated 66%.
Lesson: What’s good for the heart is good for the brain—so no matter what your age, if you have high cholesterol, talk to your doctor about cholesterol-reducing strategies, such as dietary changes, exercise and, if necessary, medication.