Giving Compass' Take:

• In order to help individuals suffering from Dementia, doctors are saying that it comes down to making minor lifestyle changes. 

• How can community support help Dementia patients? What more can be done to ease the social isolation aspect of dementia?

• Read about the rising cost of dementia in the United States and the subsequent planning that needs to be done to remedy this. 

Eating well and going for walks in middle age can contribute to cutting your risk of dementia in half, say researchers who are working on ways to tackle the disease through lifestyle choices.

"Dementia is the number one fear of aging and yet people don't know that 50 percent of our cognitive health is in our own hands," said Dr Kate Irving, of Dublin City University, Ireland.

Getting to grips with what causes Alzheimer’s disease — and other forms of dementia — is an urgent challenge. According to the 2016 World Alzheimer Report, nearly 47 million people worldwide are living with dementia, projected to rise to 131.5 million by 2050.

Yet only a small proportion of dementia cases — around 5 percent — are genetically inherited. What is certain is that diet, exercise and education all have an important role to play.

"We need to change communities so that they support people to live healthier lifestyles," said Dr Irving, who coordinates the EU-funded In-MINDD project that has developed an online profiling tool doctors can use to steer middle-aged people towards making brain-healthy choices.

By 2018, the global economic cost of dementia is expected to reach $1 trillion. Dementia in all its forms can lead to stigma and isolation in people with the condition and has a huge impact not only on the people themselves but also on their families and carers.

Read the full article about dementia and lifestyle by Horizon Magazine (via The Naked Scientists).