New Research Highlights the Impact of Diabetes and Dementia on Healthy Aging
A recent study from the UTMB Pepper Center looked at older Hispanic adults in the United States and Mexico and found that having both diabetes and dementia can significantly affect longevity. Researchers followed adults age 74 and older and found that survival rates decreased as health challenges increased.
Older adults with neither condition had the highest survival rates, while those living with both diabetes and dementia had the lowest. The study also found that survival rates were generally higher in Mexico than in the United States.
The findings underscore the importance of early detection, healthy lifestyle habits, and coordinated care for chronic conditions and memory disorders. As our population ages, supporting brain health and managing conditions like diabetes may help older adults maintain their health and independence longer.
Taking care of both physical and cognitive health is an important part of aging well. Talk with your healthcare provider about ways to monitor blood sugar, stay active, and support memory health.
🔗 Read the article, Aging with dual burdens: cross-national evidence on mortality among older Hispanic adults with diabetes and dementia, by Hyeran Chung, Alfonso Rojas-Alvarez, Jose Eduardo Cabrero Castro, and Brian Downer at PubMed.
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The UTMB Health Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center (OAIC)
301 University Blvd.
Galveston, TX 77555-0177
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Email: aging.research@utmb.edu
