According to a new report published last week by the Lancet Commission on dementia
prevention, intervention, and care, nearly half of all global dementia cases could be prevented or
delayed by eliminating 14 risk factors throughout an individual’s lifetime. The most recent Lancet
Commission report, the third on the subject, identified 14 preventable risk factors that account for
almost 50% of all dementia diagnoses.

The 14 risk factors identified by the Lancet Commision are lower levels of education, hearing loss,
hypertension, smoking, obesity, depression, physical inactivity, diabetes, excessive alcohol
consumption, traumatic brain injury (TBI), air pollution, social isolation, untreated vision loss and
elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.

Of all of the risk factors, the two tied to the largest number of dementia patients are hearing
impairment and high LDL cholesterol, which both account for 7% of dementia cases worldwide.
Almost as dangerous are limited education early in life and social isolation in later life, which are
both responsible for 5% of worldwide dementia cases.

The Commission report also provides 13 recommendations to help mitigate the risk of dementia.
They include preventing and treating hearing loss, vision loss, and depression; being cognitively
active throughout life; using head protection in contact sports; reducing vascular risk factors (high
cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, hypertension); providing supportive community environments to
increase social contact; and improving air quality.

“Learning the risk factors for dementia and prevention strategies is incredibly important for both
seniors and the not-so-old,” said Joseph Peters, Jr., Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance. “The
possibility of preventing or delaying half of dementia cases is groundbreaking for older citizens all
over the world and their loved ones.”