Delaying or Preventing Dementia: A Possible 45% Reduction in Risk

The risk of dementia can be significantly reduced by addressing 14 possible risk factors, according to a new report from the Lancet Commission on Dementia. This report, led by Dr. Carol Brayne and 25 other internationally recognized dementia experts, suggests that nearly half of all dementia cases could be delayed or prevented altogether. The 14 risk factors include vision loss, high cholesterol, smoking, excessive alcohol use, and uncorrected hearing loss, among others.

Key Takeaways:

• Addressing 14 modifiable risk factors could potentially reduce the prevalence of dementia by 45% worldwide.
• Even greater risk reductions could be possible in low- and middle-income countries and for people with low income in higher-income countries.
• Reducing these 14 risks can increase the number of healthy years of life and reduce the length of time with poor health in people with dementia.
• The report emphasizes the importance of addressing risk factors throughout the life span, from early life to mid and late life.
• The Lancet Commission on Dementia's estimate of a 45% reduction in dementia risk is based on a calculation that assumes that risk factors are causal and can be eliminated.
• The commission emphasizes the need for more research to identify additional risk factors, test risk factor changes in clinical trials, provide guidance for public health efforts, and identify and evaluate strategies for implementing and scaling evidence-based programs.
• The 45% reduction in dementia risk is based on a study of published evidence that found that collectively, addressing 14 modifiable risk factors could potentially reduce the prevalence of dementia by 45% worldwide.
• The report includes new evidence supporting two additional modifiable risk factors: vision loss and high LDL cholesterol, often called “bad” cholesterol.
• Addressing risk factors in midlife, such as hearing loss, high LDL cholesterol, depression, traumatic brain injury, physical inactivity, diabetes, smoking, hypertension, obesity, and excessive alcohol, can reduce dementia risk.
• Uncorrected hearing loss is an important and modifiable feature of mid- and later-life aging that can hasten brain decline.
• Modern hearing aids are easy to use and can help older people maintain social ties and reduce age-related cognitive decline.

Statistics:

• 57 million people worldwide have dementia, and this number is expected to increase to 106 million by 2050.
• The dementia toll in high-income countries has slowed compared with the past, but it continues to occur disproportionately in low- and middle-income countries.
• 45% of dementia risk can be reduced by addressing 14 modifiable risk factors.
• The Lancet Commission on Dementia estimates that addressing 14 risk factors can increase the number of healthy years of life and reduce the length of time with poor health in people with dementia.

Sources:

• Lancet Commission on Dementia (2023)
• The Lancet
• "Dementia: A rapidly increasing global challenge" by the Lancet Commission on Dementia
• The Lancet Commission on Dementia's report "Dementia: A rapidly increasing global challenge"
• The Lancet Commission on Dementia's report "The Lancet Commission on Dementia"
• Creative Commons license