Hearing, visual impairments linked to elevated dementia risk

Researchers have found that older adults with both hearing and visual impairments — or dual sensory impairment — had a significantly higher risk for dementia.

The study said that hearing and vision loss are independently associated with dementia, but the impact of dual sensory impairment on dementia risk is not well understood.

“Evaluation of vision and hearing in older adults may predict who will develop dementia and Alzheimer’s,” said study lead author Phillip

H Hwang from the University of Washington in the US.

“This has important implications on identifying potential participants in prevention trials for Alzheimer’s disease, as well as whether treatments for vision and hearing loss can modify risk for dementia,” Hwang added.

In the study of 2,051 older adults (22.8 per cent with hearing or visual impairment and 5.1 per cent with both impairments) who were followed over eight years, dual sensory impairment was associated with an 86 per cent higher risk for dementia compared with having no sensory impairments.

Three in four Indians would prefer to watch a movie on various over-the-top (OTT) platforms in the social distancing times compared to just one in four who would still love to go to a cinema hall, a new survey said on Friday.

The survey by app distribution platform MoMagic found that 54 per cent of the consumers would still grab beverages and snacks in the theatre halls, followed by 44 per cent who said no.

“About 71 per cent of respondents find ticket price a factor to watch a movie in a theatre, followed by 27 per cent who said the price does not matter,” said Arun Gupta, CEO and founder, MoMAGIC Technologies.

While 75 per cent of the respondents said social distancing among occupied seats in a movie hall would impact the overall watching experience, only 23 per cent said it will not impact them.

Also, “72 per cent of the consumers said they would invest in buying a largescreen TV and home theatre to watch their favourite flicks at home rather than a movie hall,” Gupta added.

The excitement to go back again for a movie experience with family at a cinema hall was also varied among the respondents. While 44 per cent of the consumers said they are excited, 26 per cent was not so much excited while for 15 per cent, the pleasure is simply not there owing to Covid-19 pandemic.

With the lockdown shutting film shoots, several filmmakers are set to release their movies on various digital platforms in the next months. Disney+Hotstar would showcase seven mainstream films on its OTT platform.

Higher consumption of fruit, vegetables and whole-grain foods are associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, say researchers. The findings, published in the journal The BMJ, suggest that even a modest increase in consumption of these foods as part of a healthy diet could help prevent type 2 diabetes.

In the first study, a team of European researchers examined the association between blood levels of vitamin C and carotenoids (pigments found in colourful fruits and vegetables) with the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Vitamin C and carotenoid levels are more reliable indicators of fruit and vegetable intake than using dietary questionnaires. The research team compared 9,754 adults with new-onset type 2 diabetes to a group of 13,662 adults who remained free of diabetes.

The researchers calculate that every 66 grams per day increase in total fruit and vegetable intake was associated with a 25 per cent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In the second study, the research team used questionnaires to measure the whole grain intake of more than 158,000 women and nearly 37,000 men who were free from diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

After adjusting for lifestyle and dietary risk factors for diabetes, participants in the highest category for total whole grain consumption had a 29 per cent lower rate of type 2 diabetes compared with those in the lowest category.

For individual whole-grain foods, the researchers found that consuming one or more servings a day of wholegrain cold breakfast cereal or dark bread was associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes compared with consuming less than one serving a month.

The findings showed that eating two or more servings a week of oatmeal was associated with a 21 per cent lower risk of diabetes, a 15 per cent lower risk for added bran and a 12 per cent lower risk for brown rice and wheat germ, when compared to eating less than one serving a month.

And for fruit and vegetables, the findings also suggest that consumption of even a moderately increased amount among populations who typically consume low levels could help to prevent type 2 diabetes.