People are living longer these days, with the average life expectancy for people in the U.S. reaching 80.7 years for women and 74.1 for men, according to a scientific study published in JAMA.

Yet unfortunately, for many people, their later years are not spent in good health.

According to the same study, the U.S. has the largest gap between healthspan (the number of years one spends in good health) and lifespan (the number of years one lives).

Dementia is one of the biggest threats to healthspan. According to the National Institutes of Health, researchers estimate that 42% of Americans over 55 will eventually develop dementia.

Ready for some good news? You can control your brain health more than you probably think.

A 2024 report published in The Lancetsays that an estimated 45% of dementia cases are preventable through diet and lifestyle habits.

Certainly, it’s our everyday habits that impact our health the most, including our brain health. There’s one common habit in particular that brain health experts we talked to said could be increasing one’s dementia risk without them even realising it.

Your sugary afternoon snack could have more of an impact on your long-term health than you realize.

The afternoon habit that could increase dementia risk

When the afternoon munchies hit, what do you reach for? If it’s something sugary, you could be increasing your risk of dementia.

According to brain health experts we talked to, there is a wealth of scientific research showing a connection between a high-sugar diet and increased dementia risk, particularly when something sugary is eaten in the afternoon.

Julie Andrews, a registered dietitian specialising in the MIND diet (an eating plan created to lower dementia risk) and the author of The MIND Diet Plan and Cookbook, shared that one reason for the link between a high-sugar diet and dementia risk is that sugary foods spike blood sugar levels.

“Studies show large variations in blood glucose levels over a long period of time – both highs and lows – can increase dementia risk because it can damage blood vessels in the brain, cause inflammation in the body and starve brain cells of the........

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