Nutricia supports Alzheimer’s Disease International and works with healthcare professionals to provide nutritional solutions and resources to support individuals at risk of developing dementia.
Dementia describes different brain disorders that affect memory, thinking, behavior and emotion, and is the leading cause of disability and dependency among the elderly. Early symptoms of dementia include memory loss, difficulty performing daily life tasks, problems with language and changes in personality. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, and there is currently no cure for it.
While there are estimated over 55 million people worldwide living with dementia, up to three quarters of people have not received a diagnosis. Partly because almost 62% of healthcare professionals worldwide incorrectly attribute first symptoms of dementia to normal aging2. For this reason, it is our responsibility as individuals to reduce our own risk of dementia by implementing meaningful changes in our daily life.
This year’s World Alzheimer’s Report has been launched during the webinar that took place on World Alzheimer’s Day, 21 September 2023. The session included experts in the field reviewing the current risk reduction research, best practices, insights, and stories from people and authors internationally. Panelists included: Paola Barbarino (CEO of Alzheimer's Disease International), Simon Long (Editor-at-Large, The Economist - Lead Author of the World Alzheimer Report 2023), Emily Ong (Singapore-based dementia advocate - ADI Board Member - Co-chair of the Environmental Design Special Interest Group (EDSiG), Dementia Alliance International (DAI)) and Miia Kivipelto (Research Director, Karolinska Institutet - Managing Director, Theme Aging, Karolinska University Hospital) among others.
According to The Lancet there is evidence for 12 modifiable risk factors that could prevent or delay 40% of cases of dementia, if we were able to act on all of them3. These risk factors have been reported by Alzheimer’s Disease International in their annual report and include changes like keeping an active lifestyle, eating well and engaging in social activities to promote good brain health and potentially help reduce the risk of developing dementia. Here is a list on some of the risk factors that you can act upon:
Source: Livingston et al. A, et al. Dementia prevention,
intervention, and care: 2020 report of the Lancet Commission
As mentioned in the report: what is good for the heart is good for the brain. And the best way to look after both is to pursue what has for decades been recognized as a “healthy lifestyle”, including eating a diet rich in fiber, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, beans, fish, and fruit, and avoiding too much meat and fat. Hence, it makes sense that obesity is one of the 12 modifiable risk factors for dementia acknowledged in the report since diet has a great impact on the development of this condition. Like any other organ, the brain needs specific nutrients to function properly. Therefore, if the diet is poor, this will have consequences for the brain and increase the risk of developing dementia.
Visit Alzheimer’s Disease International website to learn more about all the modifiable risk factors and discover practical strategies to potentially reduce your dementia risk.
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