Researchers have raised alarm on the possibility of a 153 million increase in cases of dementia by 2050.
This forecast was disclosed in the recent edition of The Lancet Public Health Journal.
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This prediction was pulled from data in 195 countries. The factors that would likely lead to the increase in dementia are;
- Increase in population growth.
- Population ageing.
The region where these cases might come from are;
- Eastern Sub-Saharan Africa from 660,000 to over 3,000,000.
- North Africa and the Middle East from 3,000,000 to 14 million.
- Asia Pacific region, the increase could be from 4.8 million to 7.4 million.
- Western Europe the number is likely to rise from 8 million to 14 million.
- In the UK, the cases are to rise from 907,000 to 1.6 million.
The lead author from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, Emma Nichols gave health tips.
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Nichols said that more focus should go to prevention and control of the risk factor.
She suggested embracing and quitting some lifestyle changes. The lifestyle changes to embrace are:
- Healthier habits. Exercise and diet control.
Habits to quit are – Smoking, consumption of intoxicants and a sedentary lifestyle.
“Even modest advances in preventing dementia or delaying its progression would pay remarkable dividends.
“To have the greatest impact, we need to reduce exposure to the leading risk factors in each country.
“For most, this means scaling up locally appropriate, low-cost programmes that support healthier diets, more exercise, quitting smoking and better access to education,” she said.
A Nigerian Neurologist from the University of Maiduguri, Prof Yakub Nyandaiti also spoke on lifestyle modification.
He said that mental exercise could help prevent dementia and other cognitive disorder.
Prof Yakub suggested mental tasks like:
- Sudoku.
- Crossword puzzles.
- Reading.
- Active learning activities.
What is Dementia?
Mayoclinic.com defines dementia as a group of mental condition that affects social lifestyle.
These conditions are:
- Memory.
- Thinking.
- Social abilities.
These conditions are not specific to one particular disease; however, these diseases can lead to dementia.
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Dementia majorly affects old people from 65 years and above.
In 2021, a Nigeria veteran actor, Olu Jacobs, 79, was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia.
His wife, Joke Silva opened up on the condition of the actor at the sidewalk of an event.
Experts have explained that this form of dementia is associated with an abnormal protein deposit.
The abnormal deposit of protein to the brain is known as alpha-synuclein. This condition leads to changes in thinking, movement, behaviour, weight loss and mood.
Source: PUNCH HealthWise