Today, almost 6 million people in the U.S. have dementia, and 200,000 of them are younger than 65. By 2060, the total number could hit 14 million. 

It's hard to know what accounts for this health crisis, but one element is certainly the number of people who are sedentary, getting virtually no physical activity day in and day out. 

One study in JAMA Network Open found that sitting for 10 to 15 hours a day can double or triple the risk for dementia — and almost 70% of seniors are sedentary for more than eight and a half hours daily.

One possible correlation between sedentariness and dementia may be related to high blood pressure, which can easily develop when you are not physically active. It may explain the finding of a new meta-study in JAMA Network Open that reveals taking antihypertensive medicine to control high blood pressure reduces the risk for dementia significantly, compared to people with untreated high blood pressure.

In fact, folks with untreated high blood pressure were 26% more likely to develop dementia than those who controlled their blood pressure with medication, and fully 42% more likely to develop dementia than people without high blood pressure.

That means the 20 million people with self-reported high blood pressure who do not take medication for the condition are at increased risk.

Here’s what you need to do: Have your blood pressure checked regularly, get 300 minutes of physical activity a week, eat a plant-based diet, and if you have high blood pressure take the medication as prescribed.