Scientists Compared Dementia Risk Worldwide—Some Patterns Kept Appearing
Summary
A new study looked at dementia risk factors in 14 countries and found these risks vary a lot between places. However, some risk factors tend to appear together in similar ways across countries, which can help design better prevention programs.Key Facts
- Researchers studied data from over 214,000 older adults across 14 countries including the U.S., China, India, and others.
- They examined 12 risk factors that can be changed to reduce dementia risk, such as hearing loss, depression, and physical inactivity.
- Low education was very common in China (85.6% of older adults) but less so in the U.S. (12%).
- High body weight (BMI) affected 44.9% of Americans but only 13.3% in India.
- Some risk factors, like high cholesterol and high blood pressure, often occur together in many countries.
- Behavioral risks such as smoking and drinking also tend to cluster together across different places.
- The study suggests dementia prevention should be tailored to fit each country’s unique risk patterns.
- Exposure to daylight, which was not part of the study, may reduce dementia risk and help people in all countries.
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