Study: Metabolic Syndrome Increases the Risk of Early Dementia
A major study conducted in South Korea indicates that metabolic syndrome raises the risk of early-onset dementia.
An analysis of health insurance data for nearly two million individuals aged between 40 and 60 revealed that about a quarter of these individuals were affected by metabolic syndrome. Over an average follow-up period of eight years, 0.45% of the participants developed dementia.
When examining the presence of metabolic syndrome, significant differences emerged; within ten years, 0.5 out of every 100 individuals without metabolic syndrome experienced early dementia, while this figure rose to 0.9 for those with the condition.
After adjusting for influencing factors such as age, education, and other variables, metabolic syndrome was associated with a 24% increased risk of developing dementia. Among women with metabolic syndrome, the dementia risk was 34%, more than double that of men, whose risk stood at 15%.
Additionally, individuals aged 40 to 50 were found to be at greater risk than those aged 50 to 60.
Each individual component of metabolic syndrome was linked to an increased risk of dementia; individuals with all five components faced a 70% higher risk.
Risk Factors
Doctors define metabolic syndrome when at least three of the following risk factors are present:
– Increased waist circumference
– High blood pressure
– Elevated fasting blood sugar
– High triglycerides
– Low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol
