Prevalence of Dementia Risk Factors Varies Across Geographic Settings

MONDAY, July 13, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- Variation is seen in the prevalence and patterns of risk factors for dementia, but broadly similar clusters of risk factors are observed across countries and regions, according to a study published online July 12 in The Lancet Healthy Longevity.Emma Nichols, Ph.D., from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, and colleagues conducted a comparative cross-sectional study using harmonized data from 14 countries and regions, including high-income countries (HICs) and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Individuals aged 50 years or older from 11 nationally representative aging studies were included to estimate differences in the prevalence and patterns of 12 established binary dementia risk factors.Data were included for 214,251 respondents. The researchers observed variation in prevalence and patterns of risk factors between HICs and LMICs. For example, many LMICs had a higher prevalence of low education (85.6 percent in China versus 12.0 percent in the United States), while the prevalence of obesity was higher in HICs versus LMICs (44.9 and 13.3 percent in the United States and India, respectively). There were differences seen in risk factor distributions by age group, gender, and education; patterns were not consistent across all settings. Across settings, there was common co-occurrence of risk factors; across all countries and regions, more than 50 percent of individuals had at least two risk factors. Across settings, similar clusters of risk factors were observed, related to cardiovascular diseases, risky behaviors, and social or sensory factors."I was less surprised by the differences and more surprised by some of the similarities, particularly in the ways these risks are patterned across settings," Nichols said in a statement.Abstract/Full Text.Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

Prevalence of Dementia Risk Factors Varies Across Geographic Settings

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