Glasgow University study debunks lifestyle factors in footballer’s dementia risk

It adds that the study highlights the need to reduce repetitive head impacts and improve head injury management in sports to mitigate dementia risk

Glasgow University’s new study finds no evidence linking common modifiable health and lifestyle risk factors to the elevated dementia risk in former professional footballers, shifting focus to other potential causes.

The long-debated link between professional football and dementia has taken a significant turn. A groundbreaking study by University of Glasgow says that lifestyle and general health factors do not explain the elevated risk of dementia among former professional footballers.

In a press statement, the University of Glasgow says that new research sheds light on why former professional footballers face a higher dementia risk than the general population.

It adds that researchers compared key dementia risk factors such as smoking, depression, alcohol-related disorders, diabetes, hypertension, hearing loss, and obesity across the two groups.

According to the research, general health and lifestyle dementia risk factors were similar or lower in former players than the general population, with a lesser contribution to dementia outcomes.

It adds that researchers compared dementia risk factors, including smoking, depression, alcohol-related disorders, diabetes, hypertension, hearing loss, and obesity, across both groups.

Glasgow University says that the research, published in Jama Network Open, analysed data from 11,984 former footballers and 35,952 matched controls in Scotland.

It adds that the study highlights the need to reduce repetitive head impacts and improve head injury management in sports to mitigate dementia risk. 

Willie Stewart

The statement adds that this study builds on 2019 field research showing former footballers had a 3.5 times higher death rate from neurodegenerative diseases and 2021 findings linking longer careers to a five-fold increase in dementia risk.

It adds that the study was led by consultant neuropathologist Professor Willie Stewart of the University of Glasgow.

“Our latest results suggest the relationship between higher rates of neurodegenerative disease among former professional footballers is not driven by those wider general health and lifestyle factors, widely recognised as dementia risk factors. As such, while interventions to address general health and lifestyle risk factors should remain recommended, the priority for neurodegenerative disease risk mitigation among contact sports athletes should continue to focus on the reduction, if not removal, of exposure to repetitive head impacts and traumatic brain injury, wherever practical,” says Stewart.