Today’s Solutions: March 28, 2024

It turns out that taking steps to keep your heart healthy as a young adult could pay off in the form of cognitive benefits down the road. According to a new study from the University of California, San Francisco, heart-healthy habits in your 20s yield brain health benefits as you age. 

In the study, researchers analyzed data from 15,000 adults, ages 18 to 95, who were monitored for 10 to 30 years. They found that individuals who experienced obesity, high blood pressure, or high blood sugar levels early in life had 80 to 100 percent more cognitive decline as older adults. The results held steady even when the researchers accounted for other cognitive factors such as sex and education. 

More research must be done to find the root of this phenomenon. For example, high cholesterol did not seem to be linked with cognitive decline like other heart health factors were, so researchers still have questions about why the correlation exists. Despite lingering questions, the study does offer a roadmap to brain protection by emphasizing cardiovascular health. 

Many adults don’t even think about heart health until they start to reach middle age, but this research indicates that adopting heart-healthy habits early in life could be extremely beneficial for preventing cognitive decline such as dementia. Study author Dr. Kristine Yaffe says, “It’s possible that treating or modifying these [heart health] issues in early adulthood could prevent or reduce problems with thinking skills in later life.” If you want to learn more about heart health, check out these articles on diet and exercise for a healthy heart.

Solutions News Source Print this article
More of Today's Solutions

Rowing against the current: Botswana’s women safari guides inspire and empower

In the calm of Botswana's Okavango Delta, where the morning sun creates a golden glow on the water's surface, an amazing metamorphosis is occurring. ...

Read More

The future of healing: 3D printing skin directly onto open wounds

Pennsylvania State University researchers achieved a major medical science breakthrough by being the first team ever to 3D print real human skin tissue directly ...

Read More

These solar-powered barges can scoop up 50 tons of plastic from rivers each day

While removing the plastic waste that currently contaminates the ocean today will be crucial for protecting marine ecosystems, it is arguably more important that ...

Read More

A bold step towards climate action and job creation: The American Climate Corps

The White House announced the creation of the American Climate Corps, a breakthrough program that will transform the climate action landscape. This ambitious project ...

Read More