Unhealthy lifestyle weakens memory

If you're having trouble remembering where you left your keys or recalling a word, mull over the number of times and how many years you've continued unhealthy behaviours.

Previous research has linked declining thinking and memory skills with unhealthy behaviours such as smoking, not getting enough physical activity and not eating enough fruits and vegetables daily.

To examine the associations of health behaviours and cognition in late midlife, researchers studied 5,123 men and women in United Kingdom for 17 years. The participants included civil service office workers in London, who were followed when they were 44 years (early-midlife), 56 years (midlife), and 61 years (late-midlife) years old.

It was found that adult men and women who accumulated the most versus the least number of unhealthy behaviours were nearly three times more likely to show poor thinking skills, and about two times more likely to have declining memory.

After allowing for the impact of age, gender, and social and economic status, the researchers found current smokers more likely to show the lowest memory, verbal, and math-related thinking and reasoning skills at each survey.

The researchers noted similar findings among non-drinkers versus those who had between 1 and 14 alcoholic drinks a week, and those who ate fewer versus more than 2 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

Men and women who reported lower levels of physical activity during midlife and late-midlife also showed greater risk for cognitive deficit.

Considering the unhealthy behaviours assessed in the current study are modifiable, the researchers call for greater promotion of healthy lifestyles to protect against later-life cognitive deficits.