12 common factors that cause dementia as number of sufferers expected to soar
With the numbers of people living with dementia expected to soar, experts have revealed 12 risk factors that can increase the likelihood of being hit by horrific disease.
According to the Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI), by 2050, 139 million people are forecast to be living with dementia worldwide. But experts at the organisation say that 40 percent of these projected dementia cases could be delayed or potentially even avoided completely by addressing these 12 risk factors.
“Even though new treatments are now on the horizon, they will not be instantly available or suitable in the majority of cases,” says ADI CEO, Paola Barbarino. “As we now know a lot more about reducing the risk of developing dementia, this is one of the best ways to tackle the escalating numbers. There’s clear evidence that demonstrates pre-and-post-diagnosis risk-reduction works.”
Dementia research has come along in a huge way in the past 20 years (Getty Images/Image Source)Currently over one in 10 adults in the US over the age of 65 have it and one in three seniors dies with Alzheimer's or another dementia. With an ageing population this is expected to only get worse.
According to the ADI, the global federation of over 100 Alzheimer’s and dementia associations, there are "many proven risk factors." Some of which people have personal control over and others which governments have more responsibility to address.
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The risk factors are:
smoking
excessive alcohol consumption
physical inactivity
infrequent social contact
head injuries
diabetes
hearing loss
depression
obesity
hypertension
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air pollution
restricted access to early education
The ADI argue that with the latter two, governments are responsible for addressing. By tackling dementia risk factors for individuals, both before and after a diagnosis, it will be able to reduce or slow down the oncoming 139 million projected dementia cases.
Dementia affects peoples' ability to remember (Getty Images/Science Photo Library RF)“We are calling on governments worldwide to invest in both research and support services, to reduce dementia risk, and to invest in risk reduction awareness campaigns; clear, persuasive campaigns that cut through the noise and confusion of much of the healthcare messaging,” says Ms Barbarino.
“This is a critical step, in the absence of treatment or a cure, to prevent as many cases as possible. We must ensure populations are aware of dementia risk-reduction strategies, at all ages, and have access to necessary information, advice, and support services.”
Dementia research has come along huge leaps in the last 20 years with drugs on the horizon that could mitigate the disease's symptoms. But for many sufferers these drugs will be out of reach so risk reduction remains a far more accessible option.
Dementia can devastate families (Getty Images/Maskot)“Time and the lack of equitable access in the eventual roll-out of these emerging treatments is a major issue. Barriers such as cost, may impede access to life-extending treatments, even when they are available for distribution,” says Ms Barbarino.
“Despite advances in dementia drug development, risk reduction remains the only truly globally accessible strategy available to us now and in the immediate future for decades to come,” Ms Barbarino says.
“We want to see governments include robust risk reduction strategies as part of their National Dementia Plans, and to clearly make connections between dementia and other conditions to enable full integration in areas like stroke strategies, healthy eating programmes, quit-smoking services, clean air programmes, and early education. Doing this now is likely going to be more cost effective than bearing the exponentially growing societal and economic cost of dementia later down the track.”
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