00:01So, the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing looked at how many people around the world will develop
00:07dementia by 2050. It's one of the most comprehensive studies on the topic. It looked at 18 different
00:13countries. It found in 2023, around 11 million people were diagnosed, and by 2050, that figure
00:21is going to double, so 24 million people will be diagnosed every year. They found, as you
00:27said, women and also those from lower and middle income countries will be disproportionately
00:32affected. And the researchers say this is a real warning that we are looking at a tsunami
00:39of dementia cases, and we need to really invest more in prevention, but also things like memory
00:45care.
00:47Paige, why are women at a higher risk here?
00:50Yeah, it's something researchers are really trying to work out. There's a couple of different
00:55schools of thought here. It could be multiple factors, including menopause, unequal job or
01:02education opportunities, or just different cardiometabolic factors. For example, women in midlife are more
01:10likely to put on weight. The jobs and education part of it, the opportunities there really matter
01:17because we know that being cognitively challenged at work, for example, does bring down your risk
01:23of developing dementia. And when it comes to menopause, there's been some thinking that
01:28a drop in estrogen could be a link to dementia, but there is a lot more work to be done
01:33there.
01:34So, for anyone watching now, what should they know about how to lower their risk for dementia?
01:39Yeah, so there's some real power in your hands, basically. So, almost half of dementia cases can
01:45be prevented or delayed by addressing around 14 different factors. So, that's about doing
01:52your best to address things like social isolation, obesity, physical inactivity, hearing loss,
02:00vision loss and depression, just to name a few there. Experts say people should really work
02:05to stay socially connected. That's a big one. And also stretching the brain. So, doing new
02:11things, learning new things. And they also recommend exercising for at least half an hour a day
02:17and eating a diet that's rich in vegetables and legumes.
