Younger people don't worry about Alzheimer's. Here's why they should

When it comes to Alzheimer's disease, there's good news and there's bad news.

The good news is that if you're in your 70s, your risk of developing Alzheimer's is actually lower than it was a decade or two ago. But here's the bad news. For younger people, the unhealthy habits they're indulging in today could give them a greater risk for dementia down the road than their grandparents face today.

Brain health, after all, is a lifelong pursuit.

"Good brain health begins in the earliest stage of childhood and has to be addressed throughout our entire lifespan," says Dr. William Reichman, president and CEO of Baycrest Health Sciences. Unfortunately, most people come late to that message -- sometimes, too late. An estimated 5.7 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease. And even those who don't have it live in dread of it. Opinion polls show that dementia has emerged as the No. 1 concern among older adults.

"Most of the people who are interested in, 'How I can keep my brain healthy?' are aging Baby Boomers because they've seen this (dementia) in their parents and grandparents," Reichman says. "This generation is more aware and more concerned about Alzheimer's disease than prior generations."

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