Jeremy Clarkson, 63, blasts modern health advice after revealing he’s at ‘double risk’ of getting dementia

Jeremy Clarkson has mocked the strict health advice put upon the public after revealing he is at ‘double risk’ of getting dementia.

The 63-year-old presenter used his latest Sunday Times column to hit out at the latest guidance, revealing he’d just learnt that a man of his age is advised to walk 10,000 steps a day. 

Admitting he would struggle to find the time, he went on to joke: ‘When I go with my son to Stamford Bridge, he pootles along at what people call “walking pace” and to keep up I have to unleash my inner Bannister. 

‘Which means that for the first half of the match I can’t concentrate on the football because I’m too busy coughing up my spleen and trying to get my breath back!’ 

He went on to note: ‘This is what the world’s torso enthusiasts need to remember. They tell us what we should be doing to keep fit, and even if we have the inclination to pay attention, we never have the time nor the will to do anything about it.’

Jeremy Clarkson has mocked the strict health advice put upon the public after revealing he is at ‘double risk’ of getting dementia

Jeremy then took aim at the diet industry for deciding food is healthy one day and ‘dangerous’ the next, adding that he doesn’t think anyone reads the small print on food labelling nor understands what it means. 

While when it came to alcohol consumption, Jeremy confessed he is unable to monitor his use because he’s baffled by what a ‘unit’ is. 

The former Top Gear host’s rant came after he issued a health update last week, revealing he’s been told he needs hearing aids after experiencing severe hearing loss.

Hearing loss has close links with the onset of dementia, and fans were left worried for the presenter’s health.

Jeremy told The Sunday Times: ‘This has been going on for 12 years and, being a tolerant sort of guy, I’ve coped. 

‘But I was told after my most recent medical that hearing loss will double the chance of me catching dementia.’

He continued: ‘My brain is having to use a huge amount of computing power trying to fill in the bits of speech it hasn’t been able to hear.’

Jeremy said he has been experiencing huge blanks in conversations, even when someone is standing right beside him. 

When it came to sticking to the recommended limits of alcohol consumption, Jeremy confessed he is unable to monitor his use because he’s baffled by what a ‘unit’ is

However, he joked that though he can’t hear his girlfriend Lisa ask him to load the dishwasher, his ears seem perfectly fine when he is offered a glass of wine.  

According to the NHS, mild hearing loss doubles the risk of developing dementia, moderate hearing loss triples the risk while severe hearing loss can increase the risk by five times. 

The website states that hearing aids can help to reduce the risk and impact of dementia.  

Jeremy said his doctor gave him ‘very snazzy and incredibly clever’ hearing aids as a solution to the problem. 

He added that ‘most’ of his body has been failing him, such as experiencing problems with his vision and with walking around the Diddly Squat Farm. 

WHAT IS DEMENTIA?

Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a range of neurological disorders

A GLOBAL CONCERN 

Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a range of progressive neurological disorders (those affecting the brain) which impact memory, thinking and behaviour. 

There are many types of dementia, of which Alzheimer’s disease is the most common.

Some people may have a combination of different types of dementia.

Regardless of which type is diagnosed, each person will experience dementia in their own unique way.

Dementia is a global concern but it is most often seen in wealthier countries, where people are likely to live into very old age.

HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE AFFECTED?

The Alzheimer’s Society reports there are more than 900,000 people living with dementia in the UK today. This is projected to rise to 1.6 million by 2040.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, affecting between 50 and 75 per cent of those diagnosed.

In the US, it’s estimated there are 5.5 million Alzheimer’s sufferers. A similar percentage rise is expected in the coming years.

As a person’s age increases, so does the risk of them developing dementia.

Rates of diagnosis are improving but many people with dementia are thought to still be undiagnosed.

IS THERE A CURE?

Currently there is no cure for dementia.

But new drugs can slow down its progression and the earlier it is spotted, the more effective treatments can be.

Source: Alzheimer’s Society 

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