Number of People With Dementia Doubled in Just 26 Years

A study published in The Lancet: Neurology found the number of people living with dementia worldwide more than doubled between 1990 and 2016 from 20.2 million to 43.8 million, reports Futurity . In addition, 22.3 percent of healthy years lost due to dementia in 2016 were on account of modifiable risk factors, such as being overweight, high blood sugar, consuming sugar-sweetened beverages, and smoking. Analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016 determined dementia to be more common at older ages, with the prevalence doubling every five years over 50. "Already the importance of these risks in allowing us to prevent or delay dementia is clear," says University of Melbourne Professor Cassandra Szoeke. "The paper noted that changes in risk factor exposure over time as we become healthier might account for several cohort studies documenting a reduction in age-specific incidence rates in their study populations." Dementia develops over at least 20 to 30 years before a diagnosis, and Szoeke says studies should probe cognition over two to three decades to determine when and for how long intervention is necessary to prevent disease. She warns the number of people living with dementia could total about 100 million by 2050. "We need to enhance the quality of life and function of people living with cognitive impairment and focus on preventing further cognitive decline," Szoeke stresses. "This will need a co-developed community-wide approach with well-developed services and an even greater network of trained health professionals."