Dementia, which includes Alzheimer’s disease, is estimated to affect 944,000 people in the UK.
Researchers from University College London (UCL) have found that cardiovascular health may be the biggest risk factor associated with future dementia.
The study, published in the Lancet Public Health journal, was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s three-school Dementia Research Programme.
Dementia, which is estimated to affect 944,000 people in the UK, is a general term used to describe a decline in memory, thinking and decision-making abilities that affects daily life.
The most common dementias include Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal dementia.
The researchers analysed and extracted data from 27 papers on people with dementia around the world, with data collected between 1947 and 2015, with the most recent papers published in 2020.
We then used the information on dementia risk factors extracted from each paper to calculate what proportion of dementia cases was attributable to each risk factor over time.
While dementia is known to be caused by a combination of both genetic and environmental factors, such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, education and smoking, the researchers found that lower education levels and smoking have become less common over time and are associated with lower dementia rates.
In comparison, the team found that rates of obesity and diabetes have increased over time and also contribute to dementia risk.
The researchers also emphasized that high blood pressure remains the biggest risk factor for dementia in most studies.
Commenting on the findings, lead author Dr Naheed Mukadam from the Department of Psychiatry at University College London said: “These patterns suggest that population-level interventions could have a significant impact on the development of dementia risk factors, and governments should consider implementing programmes such as global education policies and smoking restrictions.”
“(These) cardiovascular risk factors merit more targeted intervention in future dementia prevention efforts.”
Recently, several dementia organizations have joined forces to develop new Dementia Statement Ahead of the 2024 general election (4 July), they are calling on the next UK Government to make dementia a key health priority.
