The episode also uses the Lancet Commission 2024 update as a hopeful frame: a substantial proportion of dementia cases may be delayed or prevented at a population level by addressing 14 modifiable risk factors across the lifespan (including untreated vision loss and high LDL cholesterol, newly added in 2024).
What we cover in this episode
1) “Preventable” is a population message, not a personal verdict
The Lancet Commission’s estimate is about population attributable risk: what could happen if a whole community reduced certain risks. It is not a personal scorecard, and it should never be used for blame or shame.
2) The 14 modifiable dementia risk factors (Lancet 2024)
The Lancet Commission groups risk factors across life stages, and the 2024 update expanded the list from 12 to 14, adding untreated vision loss and high LDL cholesterol.
Early life
1. Less education
Midlife
2. Hearing loss
3. Depression
4. Traumatic brain injury (head injury)
5. Physical inactivity
6. Diabetes
7. Smoking
8. Hypertension
9. Obesity
10. Excess alcohol use
11. High LDL cholesterol (new in 2024)
Late life
12. Infrequent social contact / social isolation
13. Air pollution
14. Untreated vision loss (new in 2024)
Key point: these percentages and estimates describe what might shift at the population level, not your individual fate.
Practical takeaways and habit strategies
Hearing: test, treat, and make the support easy to use
Untreated hearing loss can reduce conversation quality, increase effortful listening, and contribute to withdrawal from social connections—one of the pathways researchers discuss in dementia risk models.
Practical steps mentioned
- Book a hearing assessment and repeat as advised
- If hearing aids are recommended, build routines that make consistent use easier (placement, charging, simplifying access)
Resource mentioned
- hearWHO: a free World Health Organization hearing screening app using digits-in-noise technology (screening only, not diagnostic).
Vision: reduce cognitive load and protect safety and independence
Vision problems are not only about “seeing clearly.” Under-corrected vision can increase cognitive burden and reduce confidence with reading, driving, and social engagement. The Lancet Commission 2024 identifies untreated vision loss as a modifiable risk factor for dementia.
Practical steps mentioned
- Routine eye exams and timely updates to prescriptions
- Ask whether a retina exam is appropriate (especially if living with hypertension or diabetes)
Smell: an underappreciated signal, and potentially trainable
Smell is tightly linked with memory and emotion. Reduced smell has been studied as a possible early signal in some neurodegenerative conditions, and the episode discusses practical ways to pay attention without catastrophizing.
Habit idea discussed
- Consider simple “smell training” practices (consistent exposure to pleasant scents), framed as a low-effort experiment.
Head injury: “mild” does not always mean harmless
A concussion can occur without loss of consciousness. The episode highlights the importance of paying attention to changes in thinking or mood after a head injury and seeking appropriate assessment and follow-up.
Movement and reducing sedentary time
Rather than relying on big exercise goals, the episode discusses practical ways to reduce long periods of uninterrupted sitting and add movement into ordinary daily life (calls, meetings, TV time, short breaks). This can be adapted for different abilities and mobility levels.
How to start without overwhelm
A core behaviour-design theme in this episode: do not start with the hardest change or with “stopping.” Start with a clear, small action that increases the chance of follow-through, and attach it to something already happening in your day (a reliable routine or context).
Examples mentioned:
- Book a hearing test
- Book an eye exam
- Do a quick hearing screen (hearWHO)
- Stand or move during one daily activity (for those who can)
Resources and follow-ups
- Lancet Commission 2024 (14 risk factors) summary graphic and report. Livingston, Gill, et al. “Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2024 report of the Lancet standing Commission.” The Lancet 404.10452 (2024): 572-628.
- hearWHO app
Timestamps
00:00: Can We Prevent 45% of Dementia? Making Sense of the 14 Factors
03:21: Dementia Risk Factors Across Life and What Those Percentages Mean
06:41: From Research to Real Life
21:41: Brain Health Basics
30:09: Simple ways to cut sitting and boost connection
39:37: Tiny Habits for Brain Health
42:02: Start Small
43:09: Start Easy, Build Momentum—Coaching and Show Notes
