'Biggest' dementia risk factor could be found in your chest, new study finds

Future dementia rates could be significantly impacted by heart health, as new research indicates.

In comparison to factors such as smoking and lower levels of education, the risk factors for dementia associated with heart health may have increased over time, suggests the study. The findings indicate that more action on cardiovascular health may prevent future cases of dementia.

There are roughly 944,000 people living with dementia in the UK, and statistics imply that more than half of the adult population knows someone diagnosed with a form of the disease.

As part of the new study, UCL researchers examined 27 papers detailing dementia cases worldwide, each collecting data between 1947 and 2015. With this information they were able to determine the proportion of dementia cases linked to various risk factors across different timespans.

Generally, the development of the condition involves a mix of genetic and environmental factors, such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, level of education, and smoking habits. The team discovered that obesity and diabetes rates, along with their contribution to dementia risk, have all seen an increase over time.

Conversely, lower education levels and smoking have become less frequent, correlating with a reported decrease in dementia rates.

The study's lead author, Dr Naaheed Mukadam of the UCL Division of Psychiatry, said: "Cardiovascular risk factors may have contributed more to dementia risk over time, so these deserve more targeted action for future dementia prevention efforts."

"Our results show that levels of education have increased over time in many higher income countries, meaning that this has become a less important dementia risk factor. Meanwhile, smoking levels have also declined in Europe and the USA as it has become less socially acceptable and more expensive."

Dr Mukadam also expressed that the research underlines how population interventions could "significantly" impact the prevalence of risk determinants, encouraging governments worldwide to enforce structures such as educational policies and smoking bans.

The team discovered that high blood pressure continues to be the leading dementia risk aspect in several studies they examined; however, they emphasised the importance of active management of the issue which has grown over time.

Funding for the analysis, released in The Lancet Public Health, was provided by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Three Schools' Dementia Research Programme.

Today, it's estimated that dementia impacts around 50 million individuals globally, with Alzheimer's Research UK projecting this number to triple to approximately 152 million people by 2050.

Commenting on the findings, Dr Isolde Radford, the senior policy manager at the charity, stated: "This new analysis says it loud and clear that managing high blood pressure and keeping our hearts healthy is playing an important role in reducing our risk of developing dementia."

"With no treatments currently available in the UK that can stop or slow the diseases that cause dementia, there has never been a more pressing need for looking after our brain health to help reduce the future risk of developing dementia."

"Evidence tells us that what's good for our hearts is good for our brains, and this new research underlines the importance of this message. So, things like eating a healthy balanced diet and staying physically active can all help people to reduce their risk of dementia."

"But just one in three people know they can reduce their risk of developing dementia and there are many factors such as income and ethnicity that affect our ability to do so."

"That's why it's vital the next UK government takes steps to help make healthy lifestyles as achievable as possible for everyone."

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