How to Cut Your Dementia Risk by 45%

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My Longevity Experiment
March 20, 2025

Dementia Prevention Strategies Could Delay or Prevent Nearly Half of Cases

Nearly half of all dementia cases could be delayed or prevented by addressing 14 modifiable risk factors, including vision loss and high cholesterol. This key finding emerges from a new study published in The Lancet, offering a powerful message for policymakers, clinicians, individuals, and families.

The Growing Global Challenge of Dementia

Dementia presents a rapidly increasing global challenge, currently affecting an estimated 57 million people worldwide. Projections indicate this number will surge to 153 million by 2050. While dementia prevalence has declined in high-income nations, it continues to rise in low- and middle-income countries, exacerbating health disparities.

The third updated report from The Lancet Commission on Dementia provides encouraging insights. It underscores the potential to reduce dementia risk and improve quality of life for those living with the condition. Evidence-based strategies can empower individuals and caregivers, enhancing both prevention and management efforts.

Key Modifiable Risk Factors

This latest report reconfirms 12 previously identified modifiable risk factors, first detailed in 2017 and 2020. Additionally, it highlights new evidence supporting two more risk factors: vision loss and elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, commonly referred to as "bad" cholesterol.

Analysis of published evidence suggests that targeting these 14 modifiable risk factors could reduce global dementia prevalence by 45%. This impact could be even greater in low- and middle-income countries and among lower-income populations in high-income nations, where dementia prevalence and associated risk factors are disproportionately higher.

Extending Healthy Years of Life

The report emphasizes that addressing these 14 risk factors not only lowers dementia risk but also extends the number of healthy years of life. Interventions can reduce the period spent in poor health for individuals diagnosed with dementia, improving overall well-being.

Moreover, clinical trials cited in the report demonstrate that nonpharmacological approaches—such as engaging in activities tailored to an individual's interests and abilities—can alleviate dementia-related symptoms and enhance quality of life.

Expert-Led Research and Recommendations

The study was conducted by a team of internationally recognized dementia experts, including general internists, applied sociologists, and intervention scientists. Led by psychiatry professor Dr. Gill Livingston, the team carefully analyzed available evidence to develop recommendations for dementia prevention, intervention, and care.

The Importance of Dementia Prevention

The rapid growth of aging populations worldwide marks a public health success. However, given the absence of a cure for dementia, prevention remains paramount. This report underscores the importance of proactive strategies at the individual, community, and policy levels across all stages of life:

  • Early Life: Enhancing general education

  • Midlife: Addressing hearing loss, high LDL cholesterol, depression, traumatic brain injury, physical inactivity, diabetes, smoking, hypertension, obesity, and excessive alcohol consumption

  • Later Life: Reducing social isolation, air pollution, and vision loss

These targeted interventions form the basis of The Lancet Commission on Dementia's estimate that dementia risk can be reduced by 45%. Recent research further supports that mitigating risks such as air pollution exposure is associated with improved cognition and likely reduces dementia risk.

Unanswered Questions and Future Research

The estimated 45% reduction in dementia risk is based on the assumption that risk factors are causal and can be effectively eliminated. While this figure underscores the critical role of dementia prevention, further research is needed to:

  • Identify additional risk factors

  • Test risk-reduction strategies through clinical trials

  • Develop public health guidance

  • Evaluate and scale evidence-based programs for people with dementia and their caregivers

This updated report carries significant implications for global public health and dementia research. It is being widely disseminated as a guideline for clinicians, policymakers, and researchers, providing a roadmap for future dementia prevention efforts.

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