Currently, over 51,000 people in Toronto have been diagnosed with dementia — but lifestyle changes may lessen the risk
TORONTO — As Canada marks another Alzheimer’s Awareness Month in January, a Toronto doctor says it’s important to start thinking about your brain health as early as possible.
Dr. Nicole Anderson, a scientific director at the Kimel Family Centre for Brain Health and Wellness in North York, said the rate of dementia in Toronto, and across Canada, is expected to triple by 2050 as the country’s population ages.
Currently, over 51,000 people in Toronto have been diagnosed with dementia. Across Ontario, over 300,000 have been diagnosed with the progressive brain disorder, according to the Alzheimer’s Society of Toronto.
Anderson pointed to research that shows living in large urban centres, such as Canada’s biggest city, can especially increase the risk of dementia due to a larger quantity of pollution in the air, like wildfire smoke, car exhaust and construction site debris.
Recent Toronto Public Health data shows the leading cause of death among the city’s women in 2023 was Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Anderson wasn’t surprised by this statistic, noting that for every three people diagnosed with dementia, two of them are women.
The neuropsychologist told TorontoToday that when it comes to preventing dementia, lifestyle plays a larger role than genetics for the majority of the population.
“People think, ‘Well, my mom had it, her mom had it, I’m going to get it no matter what,’ and that’s not the case,” Anderson said. “Nobody wants to get dementia … and we have to start thinking about it before we’re older adults.”
For some people, the risk of dementia is inevitable, but Anderson said there are things people can start doing now to protect themselves earlier in life.
Maintaining cognitive health
Anderson said some cognitive decline is ultimately unavoidable, but steps can be taken to improve your chances of maintaining function and independence. The most important step is incorporating regular physical activity into your lifestyle, which Anderson said is “probably the most powerful.”
According to the Alzheimer’s Society of Toronto, people who exercise regularly are less likely to develop heart disease, stroke and diabetes — which are all associated with dementia.
The nonprofit recommends starting with reasonable goals, such as adding small amounts of physical activity to a daily routine. Instead of taking the car to the grocery store, Alzheimer’s Society of Toronto suggests people try walking.
Adults and seniors can eventually make their way up to the recommended 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week, according to Anderson.
Eating healthy “brain foods” — such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fatty fish — is also highly recommended by the neuropsychologist.
The Alzheimer’s Society of Toronto said locals should eat less processed foods, meats and sweets, and to enjoy a variety of food in “many different colours.” Meal planning and being mindful of eating habits is also helpful.
Being socially active can be beneficial for brain health because a sense of community keeps people connected mentally, the Alzheimer’s Society said. An active social life can reduce stress, depression and social isolation.
Practicing random acts of kindness, volunteering and maintaining old friendships or making new ones can all contribute to reducing the risk of developing dementia, according to the nonprofit.
Anderson said stress is toxic to the brain, so reducing the prevalence of stressors in daily life, such as a long commute, can have positive effects on health.
“There’s an old joke that it takes an hour to get anywhere in Toronto,” Anderson said. “We can’t do much as individuals about the length of the commute, but you can make your commute less stressful — if you can — by listening to podcasts, or music or reading a book while you’re stuck on the train.”
The need for culturally appropriate care
A lot of the messaging about brain health and dementia risk comes from “a very Westernized lens,” Anderson said.
The doctor said it’s important that patients are offered culturally sensitive and personalized care, especially in a city as diverse as Toronto.
A 2024 report from the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada said that as dementia rates rise, it will affect a greater proportion of racialized individuals — though the syndrome does not impact all people at the same rate.
The report said the reason for different dementia rates across ethnic and racial groups is complex and requires more research.
Anderson said cities like Toronto will be more heavily impacted by the growth of dementia diagnoses among racialized individuals, compared to other places that are less diverse.
People from racialized communities may also receive poorer quality of dementia care, the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada said. Treatment disparities may include a language barrier in doctor’s offices and a lack of awareness and education of dementia within communities and from health care professionals, according to the report.
The Alzheimer’s Society of Canada said racialized people may also experience discrimination when receiving care, including professional misconduct, negligent communication and unequal access to treatments and services.
Anderson said an example of culturally insensitive care is how the Mediterranean diet is often recommended as a way to improve brain health, which she said may not be suitable to those with different traditional foods.
The diet is usually recommended as a way to communicate to people that they should eat lots of fruits and vegetables — but that messaging can be improved to tell people that eating healthy foods from their own cultures can still offer the same benefits, she said.