1 in 3 people in the UK will develop dementia in their lifetime. While a large proportion of dementia diagnoses are unavoidable, research does suggests that there are some steps we can take to help minimise the chances of developing dementia. Nothing comes with a 100% guarantee and seemingly the best advice for now is to live a healthy and balanced life. However, below are some interesting and helpful suggestions which might help to reduce the risk of developing and may even help to prevent dementia.
Much of the information on this page has come from The Lancet Commission Report (2020) which lists 9 modifiable risk factors (pollution, early age education haven’t made our list because we don’t think these are things that you can change easily).
Tips to reduce the risk of dementia
1. Physical Activity
Regular exercise not only improves cardiovascular, bone and muscle health, but it has been proven to benefit mental health and help to reduce depression and dementia (The Lancet Commission Report). Any exercise is better than none, whether it be a few walks per week, a low impact exercise class or anything else that gets you moving such as a good weeding session in the garden.
We recommend:
- Taking a 30min walk, 5 times a week.
- Doing some form of exercise that makes you breathe a little harder and gets the heart beating a little more than usual.
- Doing any kind of strength activity that works your muscles such as chair-based exercises or yoga.
2. Diet & Superfoods
3. Stop smoking
4. Reduce alcohol intake
The Lancet Commission Report agrees that drinking too much alcohol significantly increases the risk of dementia and other alcohol-related brain illnesses. The recommended weekly amount of alcohol is no more than 14 units which in layman terms is around 7 pints of lager or 7 medium-sized glasses of wine.
5. Stay Social
6. Keep on top of your health
If you think that mum, dad or a close elderly relative is showing early signs of dementia it is definitely worth exploring a lasting power of attorney sooner rather than later.
Can brain training reduce your risk of dementia?
While it seems to make sense that keeping and active mind should help prevent a condition characterised by memory loss and cognitive decline, no studies have yet proved this to be true. Most of these studies have struggled to differentiate whether any reduced risk of dementia was due to brain training or something else in a participant’s life such as having a higher form of education, working in a more mentally stimulating job, or just a higher socioeconomic status. So giving your brain a workout might not be proven to reduce your risk of dementia, but it can be a fun social activity for older people. Read more on our 10 Best Entertainment Apps for Older People or try one of the following?
- Learn a new language
- Challenge yourself with puzzles, crosswords, sodukus or quizzes
- Play card or board games every day
- Read books (especially on new topics)
My husband and I have been playing Backgammon every morning over breakfast for the past 25 years. It really helps to engage our minds as we get older and it's fun to keep track of who's winning (it's me!).
Dementia risk factors that you can't change to prevent dementia
Unfortunately, only 35% of dementia risk factors are things that we can change with our day-to-day living. These are the so called modifiable risk factors. That means that 65% of risk factors are out of our hands. These unmodifiable risk factors are things that we can’t change. Having anyone of the following factors doesn’t mean that someone will definitely get dementia, only that they have an increased risk of getting it.
Age
Unfortunately, age is the biggest risk factor for dementia, and sadly that risk increases with age. 1 in 14 people over 65 are estimated to have dementia, that increases to 1 in 8 in those over 80 years old.
Gender
For reasons scientists aren't quite sure of yet, women are more likely to develop Alzheimer's dementia (the most common form of dementia) versus men. However, when it comes to other forms of dementia the risk evens out between genders.
Ethnicity
There is some evidence that being of South-Asian (e.g Pakistan or India) or African or African-Caribbean origin increases your risk of developing dementia. It is thought that the reason behind this is due to these ethnicities having a higher risk of comorbidities, or diseases that are often related to dementia, like stroke, heart disease and diabetes.
Genetics
While having a close family relative who has Alzheimer's doesn't necessarily mean that you will develop it, it does increase your risk slightly. This is because you might inherit so called risk variants for genes like APOE. There are some types of dementia, like familial Alzheimer’s disease, that carry a much greater risk of being passed on, but these types of dementia are extremely rare.
Looking for dementia products to help better support your relative living with dementia? We have researched and picked out our favourite dementia living aids that can help with lots of aspects of dementia care.
This article has been written using information from trusted organisations. Their guidance helps ensure the information here is accurate and reflects current UK law and best practice.
- Alzheimer’s Association Report, 2025 Alzheimer’s disease facts and figures, April 2025.
- World Health Organisation, Dementia, March 2025.
- The Lancet Journal, Changes in Prevalence and Incidence of Dementia and Risk Factors for Dementia: An Analysis from Cohort Studies, July 2024.
- NHS, Can dementia be prevented?, July 2023.
- National Library of Medicine, Major Neurocognitive Disorder (Dementia), November 2022.
What to do next
Worrying about dementia can be overwhelming. While you can’t stop the disease, there are some steps to help you move forward:
- Keep on top of your physical health. Make sure you are eating and drinking healthily, as well as getting a lot of exercise.
- Keep your brain strong and your mental health in check. This can include engaging in social and intellectual activities, from regularly talking to family and friends to reading a book.
- Getting an early diagnosis is important. If diagnosed early, there are medications and therapies which can help slow down the progression of the disease and ease some of the symptoms. Contact your GP if you notice changes in you or a loved one’s thinking ability, memory and behaviour.
Diagnosing dementia | Diagnosing dementia can improve quality of life and help you to plan for the future. If you are concerned that your loved one is showing symptoms of dementia, contact their GP. You can also read this helpful guide to find out about the early signs in patients and the medical tests available.
