Sonia Kruger supports Think Again dementia campaign to raise awareness

Preventative Lifestyle Changes and Modifiable Risk Factors

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s Dementia in Australia report released last year, 43 per cent of the dementia burden in Australia stems from six modifiable risk factors. These include being overweight or obese, physical inactivity, high blood sugar, midlife high blood pressure, smoking, and impaired kidney function. Kruger said she focuses on a Mediterranean diet, consistent exercise, strength training a couple of times a week, tennis, and regular social connections. Maintaining social bonds—whether catching up with friends, coworkers, or talking to a daily barista—helps prevent a person’s world from shrinking, a symptom she observed in relatives with the condition.

The Cognitive Benefits of Dance and Rhythm

Kruger credits her background as a professional dancer with an Arts degree majoring in Leisure, Sport, and Tourism for shaping her approach to brain health. She points to a 2003 breakthrough study in the New England Journal of Medicine showing that frequent dancing significantly lowered dementia risk, outperforming other physical activities and cognitive tasks like reading or crosswords.

Senior Research Fellow Dr Craig Sinclair from the School of Psychology at the University of New South Wales said the connection between music, rhythm, and movement offers clear benefits for neurodegenerative conditions. Dr Sinclair, who specializes in dementia research, explained that active participation in music—such as singing, clapping, or dancing—triggers higher overall brain activation and connectivity. This explains why music therapy helps older dementia sufferers recall memories or enables Parkinson’s disease sufferers to walk to the beat of a song when they otherwise struggle to move of their own volition.

Simplifying Aged Care and Expanding Prevention

Kruger found working through the aged care and health system complicated, particularly with family members living in another state. To combat this, she has adapted her eight-year-old fitness program, Strictly You, to include short choreography sessions. She suggests that doing a five- or ten-minute choreography piece at home each day—much like doing Wordle, crosswords, or Duolingo—can help reduce future cognitive risks according to available research. Kruger supports campaigns like Think Again to simplify aged care negotiations and place early dementia prevention at the top of the public priority list.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main modifiable risk factors for dementia?

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 43 per cent of the dementia burden is linked to six modifiable factors: being overweight or obese, physical inactivity, high blood sugar, midlife high blood pressure, smoking, and impaired kidney function.

How does dancing help reduce dementia risk?

Research indicates that dancing combines learning choreography, balance, and physical movement, which fires up multiple neural pathways in the brain more effectively than repetitive movements.

What is the Think Again campaign?

The Think Again campaign is a joint initiative by news.com.au and The Australian designed to raise awareness about early dementia prevention and encourage public conversations around brain health.

Pro Tips for Brain Health

• Combine movement with memory: Try learning short dance routines or new physical sequences to engage multiple neural pathways.
• Prioritize social engagement: Maintain daily interactions with friends, coworkers, and community members to keep your social world active.
• Eat for longevity: Incorporate a Mediterranean-style diet.

Did you know that frequent dancing outperformed reading and crossword puzzles in lowering the risk of dementia in a notable New England Journal of Medicine study? Join the conversation by sharing your thoughts on preventative health in the comments below, or explore our latest health and lifestyle articles.