Younger age at type 2 diabetes diagnosis tied to higher dementia risk
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Key takeaways:
- A type 2 diabetes diagnosis at a younger age was associated with higher risk for dementia.
- Individuals with both obesity and type 2 diabetes diagnosis before age 50 years had the highest dementia risk.
Younger age at type 2 diabetes diagnosis was significantly associated with elevated dementia risk, especially for individuals with obesity, according to results published in PLOS One.
“Our study suggests that there may be cognitive consequences to earlier onset type 2 diabetes, and it points to the need for strategies to prevent dementia that consider both diabetes and obesity,” Xiang Qi, PhD, RN, assistant professor at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing, said in a news release.
Qi and colleagues conducted a 14-year prospective cohort study utilizing data from 1,213 individuals aged 50 years or older with type 2 diabetes from the Health and Retirement Study from 2002 to 2016 matched with the 2003 Diabetes Mail-Out Survey.
During a median follow-up period of 10 years, 17.8% of participants developed dementia. Of all participants, 262 were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at younger than 50 years, 378 at age 50 to 59 years, 419 at age 60 to 69 years and 154 at age 70 years or older.
Participants had an increased risk for dementia when diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at younger than 50 years (HR = 1.9; 95% CI, 1.14-3.18), age 50 to 59 years (HR = 1.72; 95% CI, 1.06-2.79) and age 60 to 69 years (HR = 1.7; 95% CI, 1.03-2.8) compared with diagnosis at age 70 years or older.
In addition, 46.7% of participants had obesity. Compared with participants without obesity, those with obesity diagnosed with diabetes before age 50 years had the highest risk for dementia (HR = 3.05; 95% CI, 1.23-7.56).
“While we do not know for sure why an earlier diabetes diagnosis would increase the risk for dementia, prior studies show that people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in midlife may experience more vascular complications, poor blood sugar control and insulin resistance — all of which are known risk factors for cognitive impairment,” Bei Wu, PhD, dean’s professor in global health and vice dean for research at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing, said in the release.
Reference:
Harrison R. Earlier diabetes diagnosis linked to dementia risk. NYU News. https://www.nyu.edu/about/news-publications/news/2024/november/earlier-diabetes-diagnosis-dementia-risk.html. Published Nov. 19, 2024. Accessed Nov. 20, 2024.
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