8 2GM Wednesday December 22 2021 | the times
News
People who stop themselves becoming
frail in old age by adopting healthy
habits are also more likely to avoid a
dementia diagnosis, even if they are
genetically at risk, according to a study.
Researchers used data from more
than 196,000 people over 60 registered
with the UK Biobank, and concluded
that action to prevent frailty was also
likely to prevent dementia.
The UK Biobank is a database
containing genetic, health and lifestyle
information from half a million UK
participants, whose anonymised data is
available for use by researchers.
“We’re seeing increasing evidence
that taking meaningful action during
life can significantly reduce dementia
risk,” said the lead author, Dr David
Ward, from the Division of Geriatric
Medicine at Dalhousie University in
Canada.
“Our research is a major step forward
in understanding how reducing frailty
could help to dramatically improve a
person’s chances of avoiding dementia,
regardless of their genetic predisposi-
tion to the condition.
“This is exciting because we believe
that some of the underlying causes of
frailty are in themselves preventable. In
our study this looked to be possible
partly through engaging in healthy
lifestyle behaviours.”
Participants were scored on a scale
measuring frailty, which took into ac-
count factors such as their mental
health, how frequently they suffered
falls and whether they had problems
with sight or hearing or other health
conditions.
Those with high scores were two and
a half times more likely to develop
dementia during the following decade,
regardless of whether they had genes
known to raise the risk of the condition.
By also scoring the healthiness of
participants’ lifestyles, the researchers
calculated that almost half of the
relationship between healthy lifestylesand dementia risk was mediated by
frailty.
Dr Janice Ranson of Exeter Uni-
versity medical school, one of the
study’s authors, said the implications of
the results were “extremely positive”,
adding: “[They show] it’s not the case
that dementia is inevitable, even if
you’re at a genetic high risk.
“We can take meaningful action to
reduce our risk; tackling frailty could beHealthy habits fight frailty in
old age and cut dementia risk
Kat Lay Health Editor an effective strategy to maintaining
brain health, as well as helping people
stay mobile and independent for longer
in later life.”
Overall, 1,762 of the 196,123 partici-
pants analysed developed dementia
during the study.
Among people whose genetic make-
up put them at higher risk of developing
dementia, the risk was lowest in people
who were fit, and highest in people who
were most frail.
When high genetic risk and high
frailty were combined, participants had
six times the risk of developing
dementia.
Those who led the healthiest life-
styles were less likely to develop
dementia, partly because they had
lower levels of frailty.
“The risk of dementia reflects
genetic, neuropathological, lifestyle
and general health factors that in
turn give rise to a range of abnormali-
ties in the brain,” said Dr Kenneth
Rockwood, a professor of geriatric
medicine and neurology at Dalhousie
University.
“Our study is an important step
forward on the role of frailty,
which appears to have a unique and
potentially modifiable pathway in
influencing dementia risk.
“That’s an incredibly exciting pro-
spect that we must urgently explore to
potentially benefit the growing number
of people worldwide affected by
dementia.”
The research was published in the
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and
Psychiatry.
Paramedic’s
suicide after
online ‘shame’
Neil JohnstonA “well-loved” paramedic took her own
life after being pushed “over the edge”
when she was shamed on social media
for littering, an inquest has been told.
Charlotte Cope, 23, from Gelli, south
Wales, was found dead at her family
home in April last year. The paramedic
for the Welsh ambulance service was
said to have suffered from an eating dis-
order and anxiety but her mother in-
sisted she had “everything to live for”.
The day before her death on April 13,
photos of Cope were uploaded by amember of the public who said she had
seen her littering. Cope had been pic-
tured next to food waste. She was told
about the post by her manager and ad-
mitted wrongdoing. But her family said
the next day the post had gone viral.
“That is what pushed her over the
edge,” her mother, Heidi Cope, said
after the inquest at south Wales central
coroner’s court.
On the day of her death Cope had
spent some time with her parents
before returning to her room at 1.30pm
and was said to have appeared “nor-
mal”. She was found dead by her mother
at about 8.30pm.
Rachel Knight, the assistant coroner,
recorded the cause of death as suicide.Yule Britannia Charlotte Garvie, who runs a decorations company in Aberdeen, spruces up the Royal Yacht Britannia. Customers are going overboard this year, she says
PHIL WILKINSONWhat you can do
People who are the
least likely to become
frail as they age are
those who live the
healthiest lifestyles.
David Llewellyn,
professor of clinical
epidemiology and
digital health at the
University of Exeter
medical school, one of
the study’s authors,
said: “To reduce your
risk of becoming frail in
old age focus upon
staying physically and
mentally active, eating a
balanced diet, drinking
in moderation and
avoiding or quitting
smoking. By making
small changes to your
lifestyle you stand the
best chance of staying
resilient for longer andreducing your risk of
developing dementia.”
A balanced diet,
according to the NHS,
includes at least five
portions of a variety of
fruit and vegetables a
day, and meals based
on higher-fibre starchy
foods such as potatoes
and rice. It includes
some dairy or dairy
alternatives, beans,
pulses, fish, eggs, meat
and other protein, along
with unsaturated oils
and spreads in small
amounts. The
Mediterranean diet —
rich in unprocessed
foods and including
nuts and olive oil — has
been linked to better
heart and brain health.
Safe drinkingguidelines in the UK say
that men and women
should not drink more
than 14 units a week
regularly. A pint of
beer containing 4 per
cent alcohol by volume
is about 2.3 units, as is a
175ml glass of 13 per
cent wine.
Physical activity
guidelines say adults
should aim to be active
every day and minimise
sedentary time. They
should undertake both
muscle-strengthening
activities, such as heavy
gardening or carrying
heavy shopping, and at
least 150 minutes of
moderate-intensity
activity or 75 minutes
of vigorous activity
every week.Charlotte Cope
had admitted that
she had been
caught litteringFears over
temperature
checker sales
Tom Knowles
Technology CorrespondentConsumers are “facing a lottery” when
they buy infrared thermometers on-
line, according to a Which? investi-
gation that found a number were giving
“dangerously inaccurate” readings.
The consumer rights group said its
findings suggested some thermometers
were not being safely monitored by
sites including Amazon and eBay. It is
calling for the government to introduce
laws to make platforms responsible for
unsafe products offered on their sites.
Which? said it was concerned about
the consequences of using these in-
accurate thermometers, for example
when young children are unwell.
The Medicines and Healthcare Prod-
ucts Regulatory Agency warned in July
of a rise in the number of inaccurate
infrared thermometers on the UK
market, which is believed to be linked to
the increased demand during the
pandemic.
Three of the eight devices tested by
Which? researchers — one from Ama-
zon and two from eBay — were “wildly
inaccurate”. This included the Aicare
A66 for £6.37 from Amazon, which was
the least reliable, giving readings that
were 1.5C too high on average. Aicare
told Which? it believed this product
was a counterfeit, as genuine versions
of its A66 are sold only through its own
website or AliExpress.
Amazon and eBay said the products
in question had been removed.