New Lancet Report Highlights 14 Modifiable Dementia Risk Factors and Links Activity to Cognitive Decline

The 2024 Lancet Dementia Report estimates that up to 45 % of dementia cases could be prevented or delayed by addressing 14 modifiable risk factors across the lifespan. New additions include untreated vision loss and high LDL cholesterol, each contributing a weighted population attributable fraction of 7 %. Managing hearing loss with aids was shown to reduce three‑year cognitive decline by 48 % in high‑risk groups.

A separate cohort study published in JAMA Network Open followed 2,529 English adults aged 50 + for 17 years and found that greater memory decline was associated with less light physical activity and more sedentary time. Participants with better memory trajectories spent about 14 minutes more per day in light activity, equivalent to roughly 1.6 hours per week, and 12 minutes less sedentary. Researchers caution that reduced activity may reflect early cognitive changes rather than being solely a cause of decline.