Approximately 50 million people worldwide are living with dementia, a number that is projected to triple by 2050. In a newly published report by The Lancet Commission, the authors review the evidence for potentially modifiable factors that may help to reduce the risk of dementia. Their analysis suggested that 35% of dementia can be attributed to a combination of nine lifestyle risk factors:
| Modifiable risk factors for dementia and percentage reduction in new cases if the risk is eliminated. |
The authors also evaluated the evidence base for interventions to address these lifestyle factors, and whether they have been shown to reduce the risk of dementia. While acknowledging that the existing body of research is limited (see below), the authors note that interventions to modify the 9 identified lifestyle factors would be safe and have other health benefits as well; thus, prioritizing these interventions within clinical practice is recommended.
| Evidence-base for interventions to reduce risk of dementia. NSAID: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. ERT: estrogen replacement therapy. |
Livingston G et al. The Lancet 2017;doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(17)31363-6.