CAMBRIDGE, England, Thursday July 24, 2014 – With cases of Alzheimer’s disease on the rise in the Caribbean and elsewhere, research from Britain’s Cambridge University indicating that one-in-three cases of the illness worldwide is preventable is welcome news.
In a study published in The Lancet Neurology, the Cambridge team analysed population-based data to determine the seven main risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease and concluded they are: diabetes; mid-life hypertension; mid-life obesity; physical inactivity; depression; smoking, and low educational attainment.
The researchers worked out that one-third of Alzheimer’s cases could be linked to lifestyle practices that could easily be changed, such as lack of exercise and smoking.
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They then looked at how reducing these practices could affect the number of future Alzheimer’s cases.
Their findings showed that by reducing each risk factor by 10 percent, nearly nine million cases of the disease could be prevented by 2050.
Current estimates suggest that more than 106 million people worldwide will be living with Alzheimer’s by 2050, a staggering figure representing more than three times the number affected just four years ago.
According to Professor Carol Brayne, from the Institute of Public Health at Cambridge University: “Although there is no single way to treat dementia, we may be able to take steps to reduce our risk of developing dementia at older ages.
“We know what many of these factors are, and that they are often linked.
“Simply tackling physical inactivity, for example, will reduce levels of obesity, hypertension and diabetes, and prevent some people from developing dementia.
“As well as being healthier in old age in general, it’s a win-win situation,” the professor added.
Out of the seven main risk factors, the largest proportion of cases of Alzheimer’s disease in the United States, Britain, and the rest of Europe can be attributed to physical inactivity.
About a third of the adult population in these countries is physically inactive, according to the study.
Lack of exercise is also implicated in increased risks of other serious health issues including cardiovascular diseases and cancers.
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One-third of Alzheimers’ cases preventable, says research
