How Preventable Is Dementia? 14 Science-Backed Risk Factors You Can Control

The episode also uses the Lancet Commission 2024 update as a hopeful frame: a substantial proportion of dementia cases may be delayed or prevented at a population level by addressing 14 modifiable risk factors across the lifespan (including untreated vision loss and high LDL cholesterol, newly added in 2024).  What we cover in this episode 1) “Preventable” is a population message, not a personal verdict The Lancet Commission’s estimate is about population attributable risk: what could happen if a whole community reduced certain risks. It is not a personal scorecard, and it should never be used for blame or shame.  2) The 14 modifiable dementia risk factors (Lancet 2024) The Lancet Commission groups risk factors across life stages, and the 2024 update expanded the list from 12 to 14, adding untreated vision loss and high LDL cholesterol.  Early life 1. Less education Midlife 2. Hearing loss 3. Depression 4. Traumatic brain injury (head injury) 5. Physical inactivity 6. Diabetes 7. Smoking 8. Hypertension 9. Obesity 10. Excess alcohol use 11. High LDL cholesterol (new in 2024) Late life 12. Infrequent social contact / social isolation 13. Air pollution 14. Untreated vision loss (new in 2024)  Key point: these percentages and estimates describe what might shift at the population level, not your individual fate.  Practical takeaways and habit strategies Hearing: test, treat, and make the support easy to use Untreated hearing loss can reduce conversation quality, increase effortful listening, and contribute to withdrawal from social connections—one of the pathways researchers discuss in dementia risk models.  Practical steps mentioned Book a hearing assessment and repeat as advised If hearing aids are recommended, build routines that make consistent use easier (placement, charging, simplifying access) Resource mentioned hearWHO: a free World Health Organization hearing screening app using digits-in-noise technology (screening only, not diagnostic).  Vision: reduce cognitive load and protect safety and independence Vision problems are not only about “seeing clearly.” Under-corrected vision can increase cognitive burden and reduce confidence with reading, driving, and social engagement. The Lancet Commission 2024 identifies untreated vision loss as a modifiable risk factor for dementia.  Practical steps mentioned Routine eye exams and timely updates to prescriptions Ask whether a retina exam is appropriate (especially if living with hypertension or diabetes) Smell: an underappreciated signal, and potentially trainable Smell is tightly linked with memory and emotion. Reduced smell has been studied as a possible early signal in some neurodegenerative conditions, and the episode discusses practical way...