New York: Valerie Ng of Syosset High School on Long Island, NY and Her Research

Hello! My name is Valerie Ng and I'm currently 15 years old. I'm from New York and I'm looking forward to taking a medical path and thinking about becoming a dermatologist. In my free time I like hanging out with friends, self care, and finding new opportunities to strengthen my knowledge on the medical track.

Reviewed Article: Promoting Healthy Aging to Reduce the Risk of Dementia: A Public Health Imperative by Janelle Gore, Benjamin Denno, John D Omura, Matthew Baumgart and Lisa C McGuire

Main Argument & Findings:

In this article, it brings attention to how alzheimers disease has been a public health concern and highlights the importance of reducing risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, physical inactivity, smoking, and obesity. These risk factors increased the possibility of memory or thinking problems, known as subjective cognitive decline (SCD) which is one of the earliest warning signs of potential future dementia. There are also Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) which are how individuals live, play, work, grow, and age that can either aid in protection or elevate the risk in cognitive decline. For example, education to bring awareness or socioeconomic state that doesn't allow access to proper healthcare. This broadened my understanding of dementia prevention by highlighting that lifestyle and environmental factors play a crucial role in cognitive health, rather than it being solely a genetic or age-related issue.This broadened my understanding of dementia prevention by showing that lifestyle and environmental factors play a crucial role in cognitive health, rather than it being solely a genetic or age-related issue.

Importance for Youth:

This information from this article is important for the youth to acknowledge since they can apply this to their own cognitive health and bringing awareness to this issue. The youth can change their daily habits early by being more active and eating well or avoid picking up habits that can negatively affect cognitive health. They can bring awareness to this issue and encourage healthy habits to aid in this public health concern and help seniors in engaging in activities to maintain cognitive health.

What I Learned: 

As many seniors struggling with alzeimers disease in families, it can be emotionally and mentally straining to see a loved one in that state, so it is important to engage in healthy habits to prevent cognitive decline. Many can pick up healthier habits such as keeping active and eating healthy. Seniors can also participate in many mind simulating and social interactive activities to prevent the decline in cognitive health.

Citations: Gore, J., Denno, B., Omura, J. D., Baumgart, M., & McGuire, L. C. (2023). Promoting Healthy Aging to Reduce the Risk of Dementia: A Public Health Imperative. Generations: Journal of the American Society on Aging, 47(1), 1–11. https://www.jstor.org/stable/48749038

IG: @https.vxng