Scientists predict a high prevalence of dementia by 2050. First of all, this is due to the aging of the population.
In 2019, there were 57.4 million people with dementia worldwide. According to a group of researchers, which included employees of the Laboratory for the Analysis of Population Health Indicators and Digitalization of Healthcare at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, by 2050 there will already be 152.8 million patients (from 130 million in the best development scenario to 175.9 million in the worst case).
In Russia, the number of cases is projected to grow by 107%. The smallest increase in the disease is expected in high-income countries in Asia-Pacific (53%) and Western Europe (74%). The largest is in North Africa and the Middle East (367%), as well as in eastern Africa, south of the Sahara (357%).
The prevalence of dementia in 2019 was higher in women than in men, and these trends will continue into 2050. According to the analysis, in 2050, 0.5% and 0.6% of men and women aged 40-69 years may have symptoms of dementia, 6.5% and 8.5% of those aged 70-84 and 23 .5% and 30.5% over 85 years of age.
Risk factors for dementia included low education, hypertension, hearing loss, smoking, midlife obesity, depression, physical inactivity, diabetes, as well as prolonged social isolation, excessive alcohol consumption, head injuries, and partly air pollution.
The researchers note that while there is no cure for dementia yet, there are preventive measures that can delay or slow down the disease.
“It is in our power to reduce the impact of risk factors on us and use preventive measures more often: study, gain new knowledge, education, “train the brain” (the use of mnemonics helps a lot here: techniques to improve memory and develop imagination), lead a healthy lifestyle and exercise sports, being careful (since injuries can affect otherwise), comprehensively maintain your health,” said Nikita Ostavnov, Deputy Head of the Laboratory for Analysis of Population Health Indicators and Digitalization of Healthcare at MIPT, one of the authors of the article.
bbabo.Net