Every Second Dementia Case is Preventable

Summary: There has been a paradigm shift in how science views dementia in recent years from conditions associated with non-modifiable risk factors like aging and genetics towards a better understanding of the role of modifiable risk factors in disease development. Science now believes that half of all dementia cases are preventable through lifestyle interventions.

 Quite like heart disease or even many cancer cases are preventable, so are 50% of dementia cases, new studies suggest. In recent times, a significant shift has been happening in how we view dementia. Traditionally, science has seen dementia as largely unpreventable, caused by aging and poor genetics.

Although these traditional concepts were true half a century ago, they are not true now. Half a century ago, dementia was a rare disease, and now it is among the leading causes of death and disability in the US. It means that the nature of the disease has also changed over the years, with lifestyle factors or specific behavior patterns playing a greater role in disease development.

It is not difficult to understand that human genetics have barely changed in the last 50 years. So, it does not explain the rise in dementia. An aging population or greater life expectancy can only partially explain things. Thus, for example, it cannot explain why early-onset dementia is also increasing.

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There is a reason why many authors are calling dementia type 3 diabetes. This is to highlight that, quite like diabetes, lifestyle choices do play a significant role in most cases of dementia development. It is time people start realizing that dementia is preventable, like other common health issues like heart disease and so on. An increasing number of studies are confirming that dementia risk can be reduced.

Quite like diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, not all dementia cases are preventable, but most are. Moreover, even if dementia occurs, it tends to be milder and progress slowly in those who implement specific lifestyle changes. So, these lifestyle changes are not just essential for preventing its onset, but they also play a role in slowing down its progress.

So, what are those lifestyle changes or modifiable factors? All those factors are well-known as they play a role in many other health conditions. These factors include diet, physical activity level, tobacco smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding excessive alcohol consumption, managing hypertension, staying mentally active and engaged, and treating hearing loss.

Most of the above factors are modifiable, and they would also help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, and even certain types of cancers. Of course, there are some other factors that are specific to dementia, such as reducing exposure to air pollution and preventing traumatic brain injury. Further, social isolation is also known to increase dementia risk significantly.

Now one of the new studies published in The Lancet added two other preventable dementia causes. It found that untreated vision loss and high LDL cholesterol are among the significant dementia risk factors.

So, what do we make of all these latest findings? What we see is a significant shift in how doctors and researchers view dementia. Till now, they have mostly viewed it as something highly challenging to prevent since they regarded advanced age and genetics as the two most significant risk factors.

However, new studies have changed our understanding of the condition. New studies show that it is a highly preventable condition in at least half of the cases. It is quite possible that dementia is preventable even in the majority of cases.

So, it is time that people stop looking at it as something inevitable. Even if someone has a family history of dementia, this does not mean that it is unpreventable. It is vital to realize that lifestyle changes can help prevent the condition. Moreover, those lifestyle changes can significantly enhance life expectancy and boost quality of life as they can lower the risk of most non-infectious diseases.

To sum up, metabolic diseases are interrelated, and lowering the risk of one health issue can lower the risk of others. Perhaps the starting point for lowering dementia risk must be countering obesity or lowering body weight, staying physically and socially active, and keeping blood pressure and bad cholesterol levels in check. The earlier one starts with these measures, the better it is. It is always good to consult a healthcare specialist if one is unclear on how to achieve those targets.

Source:

Livingston, G., Huntley, J., Liu, K. Y., Costafreda, S. G., Selbæk, G., Alladi, S., Ames, D., Banerjee, S., Burns, A., Brayne, C., Fox, N. C., Ferri, C. P., Gitlin, L. N., Howard, R., Kales, H. C., Kivimäki, M., Larson, E. B., Nakasujja, N., Rockwood, K., … Mukadam, N. (2024). Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2024 report of the Lancet standing Commission. The Lancet, 404(10452), 572–628. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(24)01296-0