Improvements in science, medicine, and lifestyle factors have allowed people to live longer than ever—but the longer you live, the more your risk of dementia increases. Recently, scientists discovered that the number of Americans who will develop dementia—a progressive decline in memory, thinking skills, communication, and overall cognitive ability—is estimated to double from 514,000 new cases each year in 2020 to one million cases each year by 2060.
Thankfully, there are steps you can take to lower your risk of developing dementia. As a 2024 report published in The Lancet found, nearly half of dementia cases could be prevented or delayed by addressing 14 risk factors—including hearing impairment, smoking, obesity, social isolation, and high blood pressure. A massive new study published in Nature Medicine found that even just addressing high blood pressure could reduce your risk of dementia by 15%.
