The number of people with dementia can decrease worldwide through a healthy lifestyle. This is the view of psychologist Irene Heger in her dissertation ‘Towards Primary Prevention of Dementia’, in which she examines the relationship between lifestyle and dementia risk and advocates large-scale campaigning.
Heger’s PhD research shows that people with an unhealthier lifestyle (based on the so-called LIBRA score) deteriorate faster and have more brain damage than people with a healthier lifestyle.
Heger and her colleagues developed an awareness campaign in combination with the MijnBraincoach app to inform people about a brain-healthy lifestyle. Limburg shops, associations and organizations could join as a friend of the campaign and thus help spread the campaign message.
She also investigated whether the campaign had an effect among more than 1000 Limburgers. The campaign led to more awareness and insight among people who came into contact with it. Heger therefore argues in favor of a broader and more targeted roll-out of the campaign, preferably throughout the Netherlands.
Heger’s research took place at the Alzheimer Centrum Limburg, which is part of Maastricht UMC+ and collaborates with the GGD and various care institutions and general practitioners in the region.
Source:
MUMC+