Health
Almost Half of Dementia Cases Can Be Fended Off, Study Says
- Cholesterol, vision loss connected to 9% of cases combined
- Number of people with dementia expected to triple by 2050
Dementia is the seventh-leading global cause of death among older people.
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Almost half of dementia cases can be prevented or delayed by addressing health issues such as vision and hearing loss along with depression, researchers said, offering potential relief as cases of the condition continue to rise.
Wearing head protection in contact sports and controlling levels of cholesterol, a blood fat that’s also been linked to dementia, are among 14 actions that should be encouraged by health officials and doctors to slow growth of the condition in the population, according to a report in the Lancet medical journal.