2024-08-03 12:43:41
In total, the researchers identified 14 health problems that, if mitigated or eliminated, could theoretically prevent nearly half of the world’s dementia cases.
Still in 2020 The Lancet magazine identified 12 major risk factors for dementia, but the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference held this week decided to add to this list. Poor vision and high cholesterol have been found to increase the likelihood of developing dementia in people over 40.
It is predicted that by 2050 number of people with dementia could double to 153 million
How to reduce the risk of dementia
Dementia occurs when a disease, such as Alzheimer’s, damages nerve cells in the brain and causes confusion and memory loss, but it is not an inevitable part of old age.
Dementia is usually caused by things beyond our control, such as genes inherited from parents and grandparents.
However, according to international experts in this field, 45 percent risk depends on modifiable health factors.
“It’s never too early or too late to change your lifestyle,” said the report’s lead author, Professor Gill Livingston, from University College London.
“Governments must reduce risk inequalities and ensure that healthy lifestyles are accessible to everyone,” she added.
Researchers have prepared a list of recommendations that countries around the world should pay attention to:
– ensure the availability of hearing aids for persons with hearing disabilities;
– to ensure that everyone can receive good quality education;
– to help people quit smoking;
– promote physical activity and sports;
– reduce high blood pressure from the age of 40;
– to treat increased cholesterol levels in the blood from middle age;
– treat obesity as early as possible;
– reduce problematic alcohol consumption;
– to ensure that people are not socially isolated or lonely;
– check for vision problems and provide glasses for those who need them;
– reduce air pollution.
Andy Watts, 58, from Berkshire, England, learned his father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s when he was 64. A loved one died in his 80s.
“For many years, I watched my father’s condition slowly deteriorate. In a sense, you lose a loved one before they die, because the person’s personality slowly disappears,” said Andy.
He has a history of dementia and high cholesterol in his family, so he has regular health checks.
Andy and his family are motivated by the realization that there are things they can do to reduce their risk of dementia, such as focusing on diet and exercise.
“I want to do everything I can to reduce the risk,” he assured.
Deteriorating vision prompts to shut up at home
Some factors pose a greater risk than others, the report says.
For example, hearing loss and high cholesterol are estimated to account for most preventable cases of dementia (7 percent each).
At an early age, the biggest risk is a lack of education, and at an older age, social isolation and deteriorating eyesight.
True, some experts are inclined to evaluate these data more cautiously.
Professor Tara Spires-Jones, director of the Brain Science Discovery Center at the University of Edinburgh, said studies of this nature could not conclusively link any of these factors to dementia.
But she said the study would add to the growing body of evidence that a healthy lifestyle can boost the brain’s resilience and prevent dementia.
“We should be careful not to give the impression that people with dementia could have avoided the disease if they had made different lifestyle choices,” said Professor Charles Marshall of Queen Mary University of London.
He added that the risk of developing dementia is largely independent of the individual.
Samantha Benham-Hermetz of Alzheimer’s Research UK called the report’s findings groundbreaking.
“Many people think that dementia is something that happens naturally in later life, but dementia is not an inevitable part of aging,” said the expert.
Scientists don’t know exactly how declining vision can lead to dementia, but say it may be related to brain shrinkage in old age because it no longer needs to process certain aspects of vision.
“Weakening eyes can also limit social life, causing people to interact less with others, become more isolated and experience fewer new experiences,” said Professor Livingston.
Many health care systems provide effective treatment options for vision disorders. But it is a bigger problem in poor countries.
However, there is a positive: despite people living longer, the incidence of dementia in high-income countries has fallen, and this is thought to be due to lifestyle changes such as fewer people smoking cigarettes.
However, due to increasing life expectancy, the incidence of dementia is increasing in low-income countries.
“Twelve years ago, we would have said that you can’t do anything about dementia, but that’s not true,” emphasized Professor G.Livingston.
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2024-08-03 12:43:41