Globally, the number of persons with dementia is expected to climb from 57.4 million in 2019 to 152.8 million by 2050, owing to factors such as obesity, smoking, and social isolation in middle age according to a study published Thursday by the Lancet.
While increases in education are expected to cut dementia occurrences by 6.2 million by 2050, obesity, high blood sugar, and smoking are expected to produce an extra 6.8 million cases, according to the study, the Guardian reported.
Dementia is a syndrome that affects memory and other cognitive functions beyond what would be expected with aging. It is usually progressive. Dementia can be caused by Alzheimer’s disease or a stroke, but it is not a natural part of growing older, according to the WHO. Low education may be a risk factor for dementia, according to a study published in the Lancet in 2020, because higher health education reduces the risk of brain injury and excessive alcohol consumption.
The total amount is $818 billion. The WHO estimated the yearly global cost of dementia treatment at this amount in 2017.
According to WHO estimates, Alzheimer’s disease causes 60-70 percent of all dementia cases. Researchers are working on vaccines and treatments for the disease. Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston launched early studies of a nasal spray that could become the first Alzheimer’s vaccine in November.
reported by Reuters, the Food and Drug Administration has also expedited trials of Biogen and Esai’s lecanemab, a medication that potentially treat early stages of the disease.
According to the researchers, hypertension, depression, physical inactivity, diabetes, excessive alcohol use, brain injury, air pollution exposure, and a lack of education are all risk factors for dementia.
Every country’s dementia rate is forecast to rise, ranging from a 1,926 percent increase in Qatar to a 27% increase in Japan, while dementia cases in the United States are expected to rise by 99.67 percent.
Researchers anticipated that by 2050, dementia prevalence would rise by around 117 percent due to population growth among the elderly, with East Asia bearing the brunt of the impact.
According to studies, there would be 83.2 million persons with dementia in 2030 and 116 million in 2040 over the world.
According to main author Emma Nichols, a researcher at the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, policymakers must promote low-cost programmes promoting exercise, a healthy diet, and stopping smoking to minimise the risk of dementia.
