October 14, 2026, 5:07 p.m. ET
The number of people developing dementia worldwide each year is expected to more than double by 2050, with women and people in low-income countries facing higher rates, according to a new study.
An estimated 11.4 million people developed dementia in 2023. By 2050, that number is expected to reach 24.7 million new cases per year, researchers reported Oct. 12 in the journal JAMA Neurology.
The findings highlight the growing need for dementia prevention, diagnosis and care as the population ages. Researchers say countries with fewer health care resources may face particular challenges meeting this demand.
“This is not a future problem,” Dr. Liron Sinvani, director of research and innovation at the Northwell Institute for Healthy Aging in New York, told U.S. News & World Report. “This is an accelerating epidemic crisis that requires immediate attention. »
How many people will develop dementia by 2050?
Researchers led by the Center for Healthy Brain Aging at the University of New South Wales in Sydney analyzed data from 38,418 people across 22 studies spanning 18 countries and territories on six continents.
Researchers followed the participants over time and found that 3,001 of them developed dementia. Researchers used the data to estimate how often new cases occur in different populations.
Cases of dementia are expected to increase largely due to the aging of the world’s population. The risk of developing dementia increases with age, Sinvani told US News & World Report.
Dementia already affects more than 57 million people worldwide. Previous research predicted that this total could reach around 150 million by 2050.
Why are women more at risk?
The study found that women had a higher rate of new cases of dementia than men, even after researchers took age into account, with 10.6 cases per 1,000 people, compared to 8.6 cases among men.
The study did not establish why this difference exists. Researchers said possible contributing factors include the higher frequency of Alzheimer’s disease in women, hormonal changes associated with menopause and metabolic factors affecting heart health.
Which countries are facing the greatest increase?
New cases of dementia were significantly more common in low- and middle-income countries than in high-income countries, the study found.
The rate of new cases of dementia was 13.6 per 1,000 people in low- and middle-income countries, compared to 8.3 per 1,000 people in high-income countries.
The researchers cautioned that the study did not determine the reasons for this disparity. However, they warned that countries with fewer resources for prevention, diagnosis and care could struggle to meet growing needs.
Can the risk of dementia be reduced?
Prevention efforts could help reduce the future burden of dementia, Sinvani told US News.
He said 14 established and modifiable risk factors account for almost half of dementia cases. These include factors such as physical inactivity, obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking and social isolation.
Henry Brodaty, co-author of the study and co-director of the Center for Healthy Brain Aging, said health systems must address dementia risk before people develop the disease, while improving diagnosis, treatment and care.
“The aging population means we can’t just wait for people to develop dementia and then react,” Brodaty said.
Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@usatodayco.com or on X @athompsonUSAT.
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