Dementia risk that could be prevented or delayed, Pg8

Key Highlights:

• The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that up to 45% of dementia risk could be prevented or delayed by addressing modifiable factors.
• Dementia is currently the seventh leading cause of death globally and a major cause of disability.
• Key modifiable risk factors include tobacco use, harmful alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, air pollution, and non-communicable diseases like hypertension and diabetes.
• Over 57 million people worldwide live with dementia, with nearly 10 million new cases diagnosed annually.
• The WHO recently released updated guidelines emphasizing prevention through lifestyle interventions and managing health conditions.

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Detailed Insights:

• The updated WHO guidelines build upon previous recommendations from 2019, incorporating new evidence on risk reduction.
• Modifiable risk factors also encompass social isolation, unhealthy diet, obesity, depression, hearing impairment, and traumatic brain injury.
• For the first time, the WHO guidelines specifically recommend reducing exposure to air pollution and considering hearing aids as part of dementia prevention strategies.
• Alzheimer's disease is the most prevalent form of dementia, accounting for an estimated 60-70% of all cases.
• The global economic burden of dementia was estimated at US$1.3 trillion in 2019, with projections to reach US$2.8 trillion by 2030.
• Women are disproportionately affected by dementia, both as patients and as primary informal caregivers.
• In India, "no education" has been identified as a significant modifiable risk factor, with potential to prevent up to 70% of dementia cases by addressing local risk factors.
• The guidelines advocate for multidomain interventions that integrate physical activity, nutrition, cognitive and social engagement, and cardiovascular health monitoring.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Dementia: A syndrome characterized by a decline in memory, thinking, behavior, and the ability to perform everyday activities.
• Modifiable Risk Factors: Lifestyle choices, environmental exposures, and health conditions that can be altered to reduce the likelihood of developing a disease.
• Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs): Chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases that are not passed from person to person.
• Cognitive Decline: A reduction in mental abilities such as memory, thinking, and learning, which can be a precursor to dementia.