Could personalised lifestyle plans reduce dementia risk?
While we can’t do anything about getting older, genetics or family history, there is strong evidence that there are things we can do to reduce our chances of developing dementia.
In 2024 the Lancet Commission identified 14 modifiable risk factors including diet, exercise and smoking, that, if addressed, could delay or prevent almost half of dementia cases worldwide.
Targeted interventions the next step
For Adelaide University’s Dr Maddison Mellow, the next step in dementia prevention is working out how to target specific interventions to individuals to maximise their impact.
The Dementia Australia Research Foundation has awarded Dr Mellow the $450,000 Dr Maree Farrow Memorial Post-Doctoral Fellowship towards this important research area.
“Currently there is a ‘one size fits all’ approach to prescribing lifestyle changes when it comes to risk reduction,” Dr Mellow said.
“This approach doesn’t take into account that every individual has unique life experience, health conditions, preferences and daily routines, which means they may need (or prefer) different intervention approaches than the next person.”
“The project will examine how factors like age, sex and personal health history impact what interventions result in the best brain health outcomes for each individual.”
“Using this knowledge, we will create new methods and tools that can be used to design dementia prevention programs fully personalised to the individual.”
How to support dementia research
Dr Mellow’s project was one of 23 that shared in more than $4 million in Dementia Australia Research Foundation’s 2025 grant round.
Since 2000, almost $40 million in funding has supported more than 400 projects through the Dementia Grants Program.
The Dementia Australia Research Foundation relies on financial support from generous individuals and organisations committed to investment in dementia research.
If you would like to help us to support more research into dementia with projects just like this one, you can donate to dementia research here.
Reducing your risk of dementia
You can find out more about how to reduce your risk of dementia on our website.
Dementia Australia Honorary Medical Advisor Henry Brodaty AO, who has led a study showing that addressing lifestyle factors can slow cognitive decline, shares some practical and simple ways to keep our brains healthy.
For support, advice or information about any type of dementia-related issue you can contact the National Dementia Helpline.
The National Dementia Helpline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year on 1800 100 500 or via our live chat.
