Dementia is a rapidly growing public health problem

Dementia is a rapidly growing public health problem affecting around 50 million people around the world. There are nearly 10 million new cases every year and this figure is set to triple by 2050.

Dementia is a major cause of disability and dependency among older people and can devastate the lives of affected individuals, their careers and their families. Additionally, the disease inflicts a heavy economic burden on societies as a whole, with the costs of caring for people with dementia estimated to rise to US$ 2 trillion annually by 2030.

While there is no curative treatment for dementia, the proactive management of modifiable risk factors can delay or slow the onset or progression of the disease. In May 2017, the Seventieth World Health Assembly endorsed a Global Action Plan on the Public Health Response to Dementia 2017–2025. Dementia risk reduction is one of the seven action areas in the global action plan. The following is taken from this plan

Dementia is a rapidly growing global public health problem. Worldwide, around 50 million people have dementia, with approximately 60% living in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Every year, there are nearly 10 million new cases. The total number of people with dementia is projected to reach 82 million in 2030 and 152 million in 2050. Dementia leads to increased costs for governments, communities, families and individuals, and to the loss in productivity for economies. In 2015, the total global societal cost of dementia was estimated to be US$ 818 billion, equivalent to 1.1% of global gross domestic product (GDP).

Crucially, while age is the strongest known risk factor for cognitive decline, dementia is not a natural or inevitable consequence of ageing. Several recent studies have shown a relationship between the development of cognitive impairment and dementia with lifestyle-related risk factors, such as physical inactivity, tobacco use, unhealthy diets and harmful use of alcohol.

Certain medical conditions are associated with an increased risk of developing dementia, including hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, obesity and depression. Other potentially modifiable risk factors include social isolation and cognitive inactivity. The existence of potentially modifiable risk factors means that prevention of dementia is possible through a public health approach, including the implementation of key interventions that delay or slow cognitive decline or dementia.