Are Certain Lifestyle Habits Associated with Lower Alzheimer's Disease Risk?

As the number of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) is expected to grow, finding ways to prevent and lower the risk of AD becomes a crucial matter. Risk factors for developing AD have been identified including health conditions, dietary habits, genetics and heredity, gender, education, age, and lifestyle. Interventions targeted at some of these risk factors may offer opportunities for development of an optimal preventive strategy. Lifestyle habits which include dietary habits and physical activities appear to have positive effect on modifying many risk factors. Studies have shown controversial results when it comes to the relation between the adherence to a Mediterranean diet and/or physical activity and the incidence of AD. Many population-based studies reported the positive association between antioxidants intake (like vitamin E and C), and polyunsaturated fatty acids whether it is from the diet or supplements on the cognitive performance. Future investigations should aim to determine objectively whether lifestyle modification through diet, exercise, or vitamins/supplements truly exert risk reduction or outright prevention. In this review, lifestyle habits are reviewed as they pertain to influence on risk of developing AD as well as on cognitive decline. Epidemiological studies and animal studies are reviewed.