Program in Australia improved dementia risk indicators — News-Medical

Researchers at Monash University in Australia found that a 12-month dementia risk reduction program delivered by nurses at general practice clinics improved calculated risk indicators in middle-aged people. As News-Medical reports, the results were published in The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific.

How the study was conducted

The trial involved more than 403 adults aged 45 to 65 who had modifiable risk factors. The study covered 31 Australian general practices.

Over the course of a year, participants in the main group attended five consultations with nurses, received an individual action plan and access to the HAPPI MIND app for self-monitoring and tracking goals. The control group received the results of a standard risk assessment and informational materials.

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Which indicators changed

Improved indicators were recorded in 56% of program participants, while 44% in the comparison group had this result. The source notes that these changes were primarily associated with increased physical activity, higher fish consumption and more favorable body mass index indicators.

Study co-author Amanda Cross emphasized that over 12 months, the researchers assessed changes in the calculated risk profile rather than actual long-term dementia diagnoses or the prevention of cognitive decline. The team plans to analyze data from 36-month follow-up observations to determine whether the early changes will persist over a longer period.