06.10.11
High dementia risk for those who rate their health poorly
There is a higher risk of developing dementia for people who rate their own health as poor, according to researchers published in the journal Neurology.
Researchers at the University of Bordeaux, France studied 8,169 people aged over 65 for a period of seven years. By the end of the study, 618 had developed dementia, and the risk was 70% higher for people who had rated their health as poor or very poor compared to those who rated their health as either good or excellent.
The researchers suggest that this could help identify patients at a greater risk of developing dementia, and further studies should be carried out to investigate if interventions could help people who rate their health as ‘poor’.
Dr Simon Ridley, Head of Research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “This is an intriguing study, and it will be important to see whether follow-up studies have similar findings. We urgently need to find new ways to prevent dementia, and understanding what increases our risk is just part of that process. If we can pinpoint why people may be more at risk of dementia, we can empower them to take action.
“There are already 820,000 people affected by dementia in the UK, and with a rapidly ageing population those numbers are expected to increase dramatically – that means it’s vital to invest in research now.”
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