Heavy Midlife Smoking Raises Risk of Dementia Years Later

Analysis of prospective data from a multiethnic group of over 21,000 members of a health care system has found over a follow-up period of 23 years that the risk for dementia increased as the amount of smoking increased (fully-adjusted data). Specifically, those who smoked more than two packs a day in midlife had more than 2 times the risk (2.14) compared to those who did not smoke.

PositiveTip: The single best thing a smoker can do to improve their health–in the short- and long-term–is to quit!