Health Tip: Maintain Brain Health

A healthy brain is necessary for a longer and fuller life.

But increasing rates of high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity are threats to maintaining a healthy brain, the American Heart Association warns.

In the United States, one of every three adults, or 75 million people, has high blood pressure, the heart association says. Of those, more than half have uncontrolled blood pressure.

The obesity problem is no better. Currently, 36.5 percent of U.S. adults meet criteria for being obese. The rate is higher in women (38.3 percent) than men (34.3 percent).

And cases of diabetes are skyrocketing. In 2014, about 22 million Americans were living with diabetes, a fourfold increase from the 5.5 million with diabetes in 1980, the Heart Association says.

All of these threats to brain health can be controlled, the group says. Reducing these risk factors means major brain illnesses, such as stroke and dementia, aren’t inevitable and may be prevented.

Source: HealthDay