Modifiable dementia risk factors varied widely from country to country and a one-size-fits-all approach to dementia prevention will not work everywhere, data from 14 countries and regions showed.
Both differences and similarities emerged in a global analysis of risks for 214,000 older adults, reported Emma Nichols, PhD, of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference.
Low education was a prevalent dementia risk factor for 85.6% of people in China compared with 12.0% of Americans, Nichols said. Obesity was a risk factor for 44.9% of older adults in the U.S., but only 13.3% of people in India.
Despite differences in prevalence, similar factors -- like cardiovascular risks (high cholesterol, hypertension, and diabetes) or risky behaviors (smoking and drinking) -- tended to cluster together. Poor hearing, poor vision, and low education also co-occurred frequently.
Risk factors often overlapped, with more than 50% of individuals having at least two risk factors, Nichols pointed out. In 11 countries and regions, the prevalence of at least four risk factors exceeded 20%.
