Dementia is on the rise – here are 12 risks to avoid

With advances in medicine, science and technology, people are living longer and the world’s aging population is increasing at an unprecedented rate, increasing the risk that a larger cohort of people will suffer from dementia.

“As the global population of older people continues to increase, the number of people with dementia is also expected to increase, reaching an estimated 139 million cases of dementia by 2050,” according to a recent report. In 2023, according to the WHO, more than 55 million people suffered from dementia worldwide.

By 2050, the population aged 65 and over will double to 2.1 billion, according to the World Health Organization.

“Dementia is currently the seventh leading cause of death and a leading cause of disability and dependency among older people worldwide,” according to the WHO, with nearly 10 million new cases of dementia each year.

Although there is no cure for this disease, according to a study published in 2023 by the WHO, psychologists and researchers are working to prevent its occurrence.

Although age remains the strongest known risk factor for dementia, researchers have discovered a set of 12 “potentially modifiable risk factors,” according to the 2020 Lancet Commission report:

• Less education
• Hypertension
• Hearing impairment
• Smoking
• Obesity
• Depression
• Physical inactivity
• Diabetes
• Low social contact
• Excessive consumption of alcohol
• Traumatic brain injury
• Air pollution

“Together, the 12 modifiable risk factors account for around 40% of dementia worldwide, which could therefore theoretically be avoided or delayed,” according to The Lancet.

Although socioeconomic status and education level may impact the onset of dementia, particularly early in life, several other risks can be avoided, the study found.

“What we know right now is that what’s good for your heart is good for your brain, and that’s because there are many vascular risk factors for dementia,” said Timothy Singham, a clinical psychologist. and Adjunct Lecturer at the National University of Singapore. CNBC succeeds.

So, lack of physical exercise, consumption of unhealthy foods, lack of sleep, excessive alcohol consumption and smoking put pressure on your brain and risk developing future deficiencies, just as these present a risk to the heart, Singham said.

Although a healthy body can reduce the risk of dementia, a healthy mind is no less important.

“We know that people who experience cumulative mental health symptoms over their lifetime actually have an increased risk of dementia,” Singham said.

“If we see symptomatic (mental health) improvement across the lifespan, that can potentially decrease your chances of having dementia.”

Here are five “protective factors” or steps people can take to prevent the onset of dementia:

• Regular physical activity
• Eat healthy
• Building a Healthy Support Network
• Have good sleep hygiene
• Find ways to regulate stress and emotions

It can be easy to get caught up in the hectic pace of everyday life, so it’s important to take breaks.

“Your mental health deteriorates very quickly if you’re not physically active, if you’re not breathing, if you don’t see much of nature, if you’re cooped up in the office or at home all day,” Singham says.

Additionally, it is crucial to build a healthy support network, not only online, but also in person.

“I think many young people rely on their online social networks, but we should not abandon face-to-face meetings with friends,” Ng Ai Ling, deputy director and senior advisor of the Viriya Community. Services told CNBC Make It.

“The other thing I would encourage young people to do is to have very disciplined good sleep hygiene, because our brains really need to rest,” Ng said. She suggests getting at least seven hours of sleep every night.

Finally, finding ways to regulate emotions and stress is crucial. Finding professional help when needed or leaning on your support network are ways to protect your mental health, in addition to maintaining a healthy diet, exercise and sleep every day.

As cases of dementia continue to rise, mental health professionals expect its impact to extend beyond those directly affected.

“Caregivers themselves find it difficult to understand the illness – you lose someone to the illness, and the person you used to relate to and communicate with is no longer the same,” Ng said .

Caregivers and loved ones may be at risk of developing mental health problems such as anxiety, depression and insomnia, Ng said.

“Suddenly, someone you know, and that person forgets about you, and (they’re) unable to function like (they did) before the illness…There’s this emotional distress that you go through,” he said. -she declared.

Given the difficult situation, it is also important that those around a dementia patient also take care of their own mental and physical health, experts said.

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