Brazilians with dementia to quadruple in 30 years – study

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Around 1 million Brazilians suffer from dementia today – most of them suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. Thirty years ago, there were 500,000. Thirty years from now, there will be 4 million.

This is the main conclusion of a study conducted by researchers from the Federal University of Pelotas (UFPel), the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), and the University of Queensland, Australia. The work was published on Wednesday, April 14th in the Brazilian Journal of Epidemiology.

According to the scientists, the data are worrying even considering the aging of the population and the improvement in diagnoses. The projection indicates that if today a quarter of the elderly over 80 years old have some type of dementia, in three decades half of this portion of the population will have developed the disease.

“This is the first time we have provided a comprehensive description of patients with Alzheimer’s disease in Brazil. Even considering that in all countries people live the same life, that is, taking out the ‘age effect’ [on the incidence of the disease] despite the fact that we are undergoing an important demographic transformation, Brazil has the second highest prevalence on the planet [per 100,000 inhabitants, second only to Turkey],” explains one of the authors of the study, Natan Feter, a researcher at the Centre for Research in Exercise, Physical Activity and Health at the University of Queensland and UFPel.

This indicates a “lack of control of the main modifiable risk factors for dementia”, that is, everything that does not depend on genetic predisposition, improved life expectancy and improved diagnoses, the researcher points out. “Brazil is on the opposite path to countries like England and the United States, where we are observing a better control of these factors,” comments Feter.

Risk factors

Scientists are convinced that hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, sedentary lifestyle, and obesity favor the onset of diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

According to the most recent data from the National Health Survey (PNS), conducted by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) and published in October last year, 22.8% of adult men and 30.2% of adult women suffer from obesity, that is, they have a body mass index over 30. This is more than double what the IBGE indicated between 2002 and 2003, when 9.6% of men and 14.5% of women were obese.

According to the study published on Wednesday, 75% of hospitalizations resulting from dementia in Brazil are attributed to physical inactivity.

On the other hand, it is also important to keep one’s brain active. Reading habits decrease the chances of dementia. The survey also found that retirees with low education are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s than those who remain economically active and those who have studied more.

“It’s clear that aging plays a very important role [in the development of dementia], but it’s certainly not the only reason,” Feter stresses. “Approximately half of the cases [of dementia] are attributable to modifiable factors, such as hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and low education.”

Other health problems as a consequence

According to the study, respondents with Alzheimer’s reported more doctor visits, falls, and higher frequency and duration of hospitalizations when compared to participants without the disease, which may be related to the worse physical and mental health seen in this population.

The researchers also noted that 2 out of 3 seniors with Alzheimer’s in Brazil have depression or report sadness “most of the time.”

“Adjusted analyses revealed that patients with AD [Alzheimer’s disease] were more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke, compared to older adults without an AD diagnosis,” the article says.

Awareness and prevention

A recent survey conducted by the British organization Alzheimer’s Disease International pointed out that two-thirds of people believe that dementia is a normal part of aging. The same survey indicated that 25% of the population believes that there is no way to prevent the onset of diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

Feter believes that raising awareness among the population is the best way to reverse – or at least reduce – the severity of this scenario. “A large portion of the population believes that there is nothing they can do about dementia, that it is inevitable and treated as ‘normal’ as a result of aging,” he points out. “However, physical activity throughout life is important to reduce the risk of various diseases.”

The specialist worries about the lack of prevention in Brazil. “We have a worrying picture: the prevalence [of dementia cases in Brazil] tends to quadruple in the next 30 years, and the control of risk factors is not being sufficient,” he warns.

The researchers advocate that public campaigns focus on the importance of healthy habits, in all phases of life. And that managers and other authorities also prepare health and social service institutions to meet the demands of this population, which is expected to increase proportionally.

The information officially released about Alzheimer’s on the Ministry of Health’s website mentions age, family history, and low education as risk factors for the development of the disease. For prevention, the folder recommends “study, read, think, keep the mind always active”, “do arithmetic exercises”, “intelligent games”, “group activities”, “do not smoke”, “do not consume alcoholic beverages”, “have a healthy and regular diet”, and “do regular physical activities”.

It is worth noting that Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia in the world – it accounts for 70% of cases. But there are other diseases, such as frontotemporal and vascular dementia.

Each has its own particularities, with different clinical features and progressions. “The generalization, under the same umbrella term, is worrying because it leads to carelessness regarding treatment and origin. The correct and accurate diagnosis is important,” warns Feter.

Source: DW