Living longer without dementia may be linked to three risk factors—high blood pressure, diabetes and smoking. Authors of this study in the open access journal Neurology are quick to say their work does not prove avoiding these risk factors causes a delay in dementia. However, following more than twelve thousand people for an average of twenty-six years showed those who had none of the risk factors tended to live nearly thirteen years longer without dementia than those with all three factors. The findings are significant since all three risk factors may be preventable or controllable. Authors say finding ways to delay dementia is crucial as our population ages.