Frontline: Risk of dementia; Risk of falls: Decrease gut inflammation
Getting Enough Sleep May Cut Your Risk of Dementia
People in their 50s and 60s who reported getting six hours or less of sleep each night are at higher risk of developing dementia later in life, according to research published in Nature Communications, April 20, 2021. The researchers collected data on nearly 8,000 adults, who answered questions about how much sleep they were getting on up to six different occasions during a follow-up period of between 7.5 and 30 years, depending on how old the participants were when they entered the study. Participants in their 50s and 60s who slept for six hours or less nightly were 30 percent more likely to be diagnosed with dementia than participants who averaged seven hours of sleep per night, even after accounting for other factors known to affect length and quality of sleep and dementia risk. Among the study participants who developed dementia, most cases of dementia were diagnosed after age 70. If you often get six or fewer hours of sleep a night, talk to your doctor about possible strategies and/or treatments that might increase your sleep duration.
Risk of Falls Increases with Hip Arthritis Plus Low Back Pain
Osteoarthritis (OA) in the hip causes joint damage that produces pain, and it also may impair balance and increase the risk of falls. And it’s not uncommon for people with hip OA to have concomitant chronic low back pain. Researchers assessed the risk of falling among study participants ages 65 to 80 who had both hip OA and low back pain. During a one-year monitoring period, the researchers discovered that 42 percent of the participants fell at least once. The degree of impairment caused by OA was significantly greater among participants who fell more than once. The study was published in the March 2021 issue of Arthritis Research & Therapy. Since falls can cause fractures that lead to disability and loss of independence, it’s wise to do all you can to prevent falls: Ask your doctor for a fall screening assessment and a referral to a physical therapist or exercise specialist who can teach you balance exercises.
High-Quality Diet Tied to Less Inflammation in the Gut
According to research published online April 2, 2021, in the journal Gut, specific foods are linked to clusters of gut bacteria known to cause inflammatory responses. Among the 1,425 study participants, about 550 had been diagnosed with either inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), while the other participants did not have these diagnoses. The researchers analyzed stool samples from the participants and collected information about their dietary habits. Results showed that diets high in fast food, added sugars, processed foods, and animal products were associated with a higher number of pro-inflammatory bacteria. Participants with higher-quality diets that contained more plant foods, including legumes and nuts, and fish had fewer of the pro-inflammatory bacteria.
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