The global burden of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias among older adults has risen sharply and is set to continue climbing, according to this population-based study drawing on the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. The number of adults aged 65 and over living with Alzheimer's and other dementias increased from 18.1 million in 1990 to 49.1 million in 2021, and disability-adjusted life years associated with the conditions rose by 176 percent over the period. Women consistently showed higher age-standardized prevalence and mortality than men.
The authors identify high fasting plasma glucose, high body-mass index, and smoking as primary modifiable risk factors, each a plausible target for prevention across the life course and project a further increase in prevalence toward 2050. For a healthy ageing agenda, the findings underscore the scale of the dementia challenge and the value of acting on modifiable risks well before older age.
