New Study Identifies 2 Simple Habits That Can Delay Alzheimer's Disease

A specialist shares exactly how these two factors can generate BDNF (and what exactly that is).

Can delaying a disease as monstrous as Alzheimer’s be as simple as walking and eating nutritious foods?

To some degree, yes.

A June 2025 study in Molecular Neurodegeneration assessed this topic and concluded that “up to 45% of dementia risk can be attributed to modifiable risk factors,” namely exercise and diet. What happens, the study explained, is that those two habits boost BDNF, or brain-derived neurotrophic factor. BDNF is a protein that aids neuroplasticity, or the brain’s ability to adapt, learn and remember.

HuffPost spoke to a doctor about the study’s findings, and he said they make sense.

“Walking and diet are two of the simplest ways we know to boost BDNF, a key protein that helps brain cells grow, repair and communicate,” said Dr. Alexander Zubkov, a neurologist and board advisory member of 1MD Nutrition who specializes in neurodegenerative disorders and functional medicine. “Higher BDNF levels are strongly linked to better memory and slower cognitive decline.”