Dementia risk is surging in the US, and the number of cases is projected to double by 2060.
According to CNN, research published in the journal Nature Medicine on Monday, January 13, 2025, revealed that the risk of developing dementia in the population of the US is higher than ever.
As per the study, 42% of people who are over the age of 55 will develop dementia in the coming years, and it is expected that as the population of the country ages, the number of dementia patients will increase.
Moreover, for this study, researchers analysed the health records of about 15,000 people, including a quarter of the Black participants, each patient for an average of 23 years. They found that Black adults are at higher risk and get dementia earlier than White adults.
The researchers wrote, “Racial disparities in dementia may reflect the cumulative effects of structural racism and inequality throughout the life course. For instance, poor access to education and nutrition may contribute to earlier differences in cognitive reserve, and socioeconomic disparities and limited access to care may lead to a higher burden of vascular risk factors at midlife.”
Researchers explained, “Accumulating data from clinical trials have linked healthy lifestyle behaviours, the absence of vascular risk factors, and hearing rehabilitation with improved cognitive outcomes. However, only approximately 20% of US adults are meeting recommended lifestyle and cardiovascular health targets, and only approximately 30% of older adults with hearing loss are using a hearing aid.”
Notably, it is estimated that the number of people with dementia will increase from about 514,000 cases in 2020 to about 1 million a year by 2060.
