Integrated Messages for Preventing Cognitive Decline and Other Chronic Diseases

Dementia is a general term for loss of memory and other thinking abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia and is a progressive disease beginning with mild memory loss and possibly leading to loss of the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to the environment. Alzheimer’s disease involves parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language. 

An estimated 6.9 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease. In the U.S., non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic older adults are about twice as likely to have Alzheimer’s or other dementias compared to white older adults.

Risk factors for dementia include age, genetics, and family history. However, there are some modifiable risk factors that can help to reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Examples include physical activity, smoking, education, staying socially and mentally active, blood pressure, effective diabetes management, and diet. The 2020 Lancet Commission report on dementia prevention, intervention, and care suggests that up to 40% of dementia cases may be attributable to modifiable risk factors.  Another study funded by the National Institute on Aging found that, compared to participants with no or just one healthy lifestyle factor, the risk of Alzheimer’s was 37% lower in those with two to three healthy lifestyle factors, and 60% lower in those with four to five healthy lifestyle factors.

To help address these issues, NACDD has partnered with CDC’s Alzheimer’s Disease and Healthy Aging Program to integrate Alzheimer’s messages into chronic disease programs. The partnership adapts existing chronic disease risk reduction messages to include information about how healthy behaviors can also reduce the risk for cognitive decline. View and download NACDD’s resources about integrated chronic disease and brain health messages.