Dementia risk now doubled according to a study by John Hopkins
A new report came out warning about the growing risk of dementia in the United Kingdom:
Dementia risk for people 55 and older has doubled, new study finds
January 14, 2025
Dementia cases in the U.S. are expected to double by 2060, with an estimated one million people diagnosed per year, according to a new study led by Johns Hopkins University and other institutions.
Researchers found that Americans’ risk of developing dementia after age 55 is 42%, double the risk that has been identified in prior studies, a press release stated.
For those who reach 75 years of age, the lifetime risk exceeds 50%, the study found.
Women face a 48% average risk and men have a 35% risk, with the discrepancy attributed to women living longer than men. …
Aging is the biggest risk factor for dementia, with other factors including genetics, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles and mental health disorders, the release said.
Dementia risk was found to be higher among people who have a variant of the APOE4 gene, which has been linked to late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. https://www.foxnews.com/health/dementia-risk-people-55-older-has-doubled-new-study-finds
As diets become more synthetic and full of ultraprocessed foods, it is no surprise that the risk for dementia has also increased.
The USA and other places are also at major risk. A study came out over a decade ago discussing the financial costs for dementia in the USA (see Dementia in USA), while another in 2015 pointed out its growing prevalence in the UK (see Massive dementia risk in UK; what about the USA?). I would add that the personal costs to one’s life and how dementia affects a family are higher than the staggering financial cost. As far as the financial cost, it looks like one more burden that will contribute to the increased debt of the UK and USA.
Here is how one dictionary defines dementia:
de·men·tia (d-mnsh)n.
1. Deterioration of intellectual faculties, such as memory, concentration, and judgment, resulting from an organic disease or a disorder of the brain. It is sometimes accompanied by emotional disturbance and personality changes.2. Madness; insanity.
According to dictionary.com the word dementia comes from a Latin word meaning madness:
Origin:
1800–10; < Latin dēmentia madness, equivalent to dēment- out of one’s mind (see dement) + -ia noun suffix.
While sports such as American tackle football contribute to dementia (see, for example, NFL admits nearly 1 in 3 players will develop cognitive problems), diet does as well.
While age is a factor, over consumption of processed carbohydrates and sweets and possibly protein seem to be a factor. Genetics are also a factor. An accumulation of advanced protein-glycation end products contribute to Alzheimer’s dementia.
I co-wrote a scientific paper related to cognitive deterioration and nutrition that was published in a major medical journal abput two decades ago. Here is the ‘Abstract’ from that paper:
Individuals with Down syndrome have signs of possible brain damage prior to birth. In addition to slowed and reduced mental development, they are much more likely to have cognitive deterioration and develop dementia at an earlier age than individuals without Down syndrome. Some of the cognitive impairments are likely due to post-natal hydrogen peroxide-mediated oxidative stress caused by overexpression of the superoxide dismutase (SOD-1) gene, which is located on the triplicated 21 st chromosome and known to be 50% overexpressed. However, some of this disability may also be due to early accumulation of advanced protein glycation end-products, which may play an adverse role in prenatal and postnatal brain development. This paper suggests that essential nutrients such as folate, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, and zinc, as well as alpha-lipoic acid and carnosine may possibly be partially preventive. Acetyl-L-carnitine, aminoguanidine, cysteine, and N-acetylcysteine are also discussed, but have possible safety concerns for this population. This paper hypothesizes that nutritional factors begun prenatally, in early infancy, or later may prevent or delay the onset of dementia in the Down syndrome population. Further examination of this data may provide insights into nutritional, metabolic and pharmacological treatments for dementias of many kinds. As the Down syndrome population may be the largest identifiable group at increased risk for developing dementia, clinical research to verify the possible validity of the prophylactic use of anti-glycation nutrients should be performed. Such research might also help those with glycation complications associated with diabetes or Alzheimer’s. (Can Cognitive Deterioration Associated with Down Syndrome be Reduced? Medical Hypotheses, 2005; 64(3):524-532)
Despite that paper being published, relatively few have or will utilize proper nutrition, and most who consider nutritional interventions use synthetic substitutes, which are not proven to be effective. The field of mainstream nutrition reminds me of religion in the sense that most are satisfied with false religion that does not lead to eternal life as opposed to the true religion that does.
Anyway, as far as dementia goes, it seems to be a prophesied curse from a biblical perspective:
15 “But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:
16 “Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country…
28 The Lord will strike you with madness and blindness and confusion of heart. (Deuteronomy 28:15-16, 28)
Note: I am not saying that all who get dementia have intentionally violated God’s laws, etc. But what I am trying to say is that dementia and costs associated with it are consistent with curses against a society that should know God’s laws but refuses to obey God. And we are seeing increases in dementia.
As far as diet goes, I would also add that I believe that proper fasting can also be a factor in slowing down the development of dementia.
Some items of related interest may include:
Christian Health Matters Should Christians be concerned about their health? Does the Bible give any food and health guidelines? Here are links to three related sermons: Let’s Talk About Food, Evil is Affecting the Food Supply, and Let’s Talk About Health.
Can Cognitive Deterioration Associated with Down Syndrome be Reduced? This is a scientific paper published in Medical Hypotheses, 2005; 64(3):524-532, which explains why food nutrients are better to prevent the accumulation of advanced protein glycation end products than USP isolates that many people consume.
Tweet |
|