A large study in Korea looked at whether having metabolic syndrome (MetS), a group of health problems like high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and extra belly fat, raises the risk of developing dementia before age 65.
- Researchers followed about 2 million people between the ages of 40 and 60 for about 8 years. They found that people with metabolic syndrome were more likely to develop young-onset dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia.
- Younger people (ages 40–49), women, people who drank alcohol, those who were obese, and people with depression had an even higher risk if they had metabolic syndrome.
- This study suggests that improving health conditions like blood sugar, blood pressure, and weight might help lower the risk of early dementia, but more research is needed to prove cause and effect.
Optimal Takeaways
- Maintaining good metabolic health in midlife may be important for preventing dementia before age 65.
- Focus on managing blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol, weight, and mental health.
Reference
Lee, Jeong-Yoon et al. “Association Between Metabolic Syndrome and Young-Onset Dementia: A Nationwide Population-Based Study.” Neurology vol. 104,10 (2025): e213599. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000213599
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