![]() We wanted to find out what tools are available for middle-aged adults (aged 45 to 65 years), and how well they predict dementia later in life (at least five years after the initial assessment). Preventive tools help select people who are best suited to lifestyle modification programmes aimed at regulating risk factors. If we control risk factors in middle age, we may avert or delay the future development of dementia or reduce dementia severity. Why do we use tools that assess risk factors to predict future dementia?Ĭurrently, about 50 million people across the world have dementia, and without adequate preventive measures, that number is expected to triple by 2050. The tools assign a higher risk score to people who have a higher chance of getting dementia later in life, based on the presence or absence of risk factors in middle age. To develop prediction tools, researchers observe a group of people over years to see how many with such risk factors develop dementia. We classify these health conditions or behaviours as 'modifiable risk factors' for dementia, because measures such as lifestyle changes can reduce them. People with certain health conditions or behaviours in middle age – such as high blood pressure, excessive alcohol intake, smoking, depression, low levels of exercise, or poor diet – have a higher chance of developing dementia in later life. The benefits of using these tools to predict dementia later in life are unclear, because the studies provided little high-quality evidence.ĭementia refers to a group of brain conditions that commonly affect older people and lead to progressive problems with memory, problem-solving, or performing everyday activities. ![]()
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