Currently, over 300,000 people in Ontario have been diagnosed with dementia \u2014 but lifestyle changes may lessen the risk<\/p>\n
As Canada marks another Alzheimer\u2019s Awareness Month in January, a Toronto doctor says it’s important to start thinking about your brain health as early as possible.<\/p>\n
Dr. Nicole Anderson, a scientific director at the Kimel Family Centre for Brain Health and Wellness in North York, said the rate of dementia across Canada\u00a0is expected to triple by 2050 as the country\u2019s population ages.<\/p>\n
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\u2019s Society of Toronto.<\/p>\n
Anderson pointed to research that shows living in large urban centres, such as Canada\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Recent Toronto Public Health data shows the leading cause of death<\/a> among the city\u2019s women in 2023 was Alzheimer\u2019s disease and dementia. Anderson wasn\u2019t surprised by this statistic, noting that for every three people diagnosed with dementia, two of them are women.<\/p>\n The neuropsychologist told TorontoToday\u00a0that when it comes to preventing dementia, lifestyle plays a larger role than genetics for the majority of the population.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople think, \u2018Well, my mom had it, her mom had it, I’m going to get it no matter what,\u2019 and that’s not the case,\u201d Anderson said. \u201cNobody wants to get dementia \u2026 and we have to start thinking about it before we’re older adults.\u201d<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Maintaining cognitive health<\/p>\n 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 \u201cprobably the most powerful.\u201d<\/p>\n According to the Alzheimer\u2019s Society of Toronto, people who exercise regularly are less likely to develop heart disease, stroke and diabetes \u2014 which are all associated with dementia.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s Society of Toronto suggests people try walking.<\/p>\n Adults and seniors can eventually make their way up to the recommended<\/a> 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week, according to Anderson.<\/p>\n