If current trends continue, the world is heading toward an estimated 25 million new cases of dementia each year by 2050. That’s more than double the 11.4 million people estimated to have developed the disease in 2023, according to a new analysis published in JAMA Neurology which followed more than 38,000 adults in 18 countries, reports The United States today. This spike is largely linked to population aging, but it won’t hit equally: Women develop dementia at higher rates than men, and people in low- and middle-income countries see many more new cases than those in wealthier countries: 13.6 versus 8.3 per 1,000 people, respectively.
Researchers say nearly half of cases could be linked to modifiable factors such as inactivity, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, smoking and social isolation, making prevention a priority. Meanwhile, geriatrician reveals No. 1 ‘modifiable’ risk factor for dementia, reports Today: hearing loss. A recent study also links napping to dementia risk, according to US News and World Report.
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