Manchester Evening News
·26 Aug 2026
Health experts list eight things you should avoid to reduce your risk of dementia as 'many people not aware'
Health experts and the Alzheimer’s Society have highlighted eight preventable or treatable factors associated with dementia risk: high blood pressure, smoking, physical inactivity, excessive alcohol consumption, obesity, hearing loss, depression and type 2 diabetes. A UK survey of 1,393 people found that 26% of over-40s could not name a single risk factor, while awareness of high blood pressure and high cholesterol risks was low. The charity says around 982,000 people in the UK have dementia, a figure expected to reach 1.4 million by 2040, and urges people to manage their health, exercise, avoid smoking, moderate alcohol intake and seek hearing checks.