The common health conditions that are key risk factors for dementia

As part of Brain Health Week, Australians are being urged to prioritise their brain health and recognise its vital role in preventing dementia.

According to new data from Dementia Australia, many Australians are unaware that common health issues- such as hearing loss, depression, and high cholesterol are all risk factors for developing dementia.

Dementia Australia CEO Professor Tanya Buchanan said that dementia is the second leading cause of death for all Australians and there are currently 433,300 Australians living with the condition.

“Dementia is on track to become the country’s biggest cause of death within the next five years. While we cannot change getting older, genetics or family history, scientific research shows that looking after our brain health can make a big difference to reducing or delaying the risk of developing dementia,” Professor Buchanan said.

A recent Ipsos survey of Australian attitudes toward dementia revealed a surprising gap in awareness. Many Australians still don’t realise that making proactive lifestyle changes can help reduce the risk of developing dementia.

Last year, the Lancet Commission identified 14 modifiable risk factors that, if addressed, could reduce global dementia incidence by a remarkable 45 per cent. These factors include smoking, obesity, physical inactivity, and conditions such as hearing loss, high cholesterol, and depression.

“In fact, people with mild-severe hearing loss are two to five times as likely to develop dementia than those with normal hearing,” Professor Buchanan said.

Dementia Australia’s Honorary Medical Advisor, Professor Henry Brodaty AO, led a groundbreaking three-year clinical trial that tested whether tackling these risk factors could improve brain function in older adults.

The University of New South Wales Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing trial – Maintain Your Brain – tested whether effectively addressing some of the modifiable risk factors for dementia resulted in better cognition in older adults over a three-year period.

“The outcome was a resounding yes – we can improve cognition over three years and, therefore, likely enhance resilience to dementia,” Professor Brodaty said.

Despite these promising findings, dementia remains a major health challenge in Australia, and Dementia Australia is calling on the federal government to fund a national conversation on brain health and dementia prevention.

Professor Buchanan said dementia was a chronic condition that could impact anyone, just like cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

“It’s a chronic condition which must be treated with the same health investment as other major chronic conditions,” Professor Buchanan said.

“Dementia is the leading health, disability and aged care issue facing Australia. It impacts Australians across their life and nearly 30,000 Australians live with younger onset dementia. The research is clear that dementia is a condition that starts many decades before symptoms appear. So, it is vital that all Australians understand the importance of maintaining brain health throughout our lives.

“It is never too early or too late to reduce your dementia risk.”

IMPORTANT LEGAL INFO This article is of a general nature and FYI only, because it doesn’t take into account your personal health requirements or existing medical conditions. That means it’s not personalised health advice and shouldn’t be relied upon as if it is. Before making a health-related decision, you should work out if the info is appropriate for your situation and get professional medical advice.