Medical Minute: Dementia risk factors

Research shows that diet and exercise can impact your risk for dementia, but one's socioeconomic status could also affect your likelihood of developing the condition.

Every three seconds, someone around the world will develop dementia.

“If you look at all the things we know that may be associated with the risk of developing dementia, the two strongest are age and family history," Dr. James Garvin said.

However, research shows that your education level can be another big factor. Researchers at University College London found that people with a post-secondary education had a 43% lower chance of developing mild cognitive impairment, a condition that increases the risk for dementia.

The UK study found that being in the wealthiest third of the population was linked with a 26% lower chance of going from mild cognitive impairment to dementia, signaling that having money and access to treatments can make a difference.