The World Alzheimer Report 2023, written in journalistic style with key case studies, focuses on reducing the risk of dementia and offers a truly global insight into the ways in which dementia risk factors are experienced around the world.
The report examines the drivers behind risk reduction and provides an accessible overview of both modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors as well as the benefits of lifelong learning. Inside you will find the latest research on this topic, alongside fascinating case studies and beautiful imagery, demonstrating how dementia risk reduction expresses itself in concrete ways all over the world, with articles from South Africa, Kenya, Pakistan, Singapore, Japan, Uruguay, Colombia, and the United Kingdom.
Read about a community of centenarians living in Ogimi, Okinawa, a ‘blue zone’ village famous for its residents’ longevity, how pilchards, a small fish, could make a difference in South Africa’s dementia risk reduction effort; or why getting a hearing aid if you’re experiencing hearing loss could reduce your risk of cognitive decline.
The report also highlights global disparities in an individual’s ability and means to mitigate their risk of dementia, galvanising a call to action for governments to provide population-based systemic changes to promote risk reduction and the importance of dementia research.
Download the World Alzheimer Report 2023 for free
ADI has translated the 2023 World Alzheimer report into three additional languages (Arabic, Chinese (simplified) and Spanish, helping us to provide this crucial resource to more people in our global community and beyond.
You can access the World Alzheimer Report 2023 translations through the following links:
Arabic | 2023 التقرير العالمي لمرض الزهايمر لعام
Simplified Chinese | 2023 年世界老年痴呆症报告
Spanish | El Informe Mundial sobre el Alzheimer 2023
Chapters included in the report:
- Physical health risks
- Brain health risks
- Environment and population
- Non-modifiable risks
- Preventative risk reduction
- Post Diagnosis Risk Reduction
Some of the key recommendations covered in the report include:
- In the absence of a cure or a treatment that is globally accessible, risk reduction remains the most feasible and proactive way to combat dementia.
- Just as there is rarely a simple answer to a complex issue, there is no magic bullet for dementia. But there are tangible steps – big and small – that individuals can take to reduce risk, and any step is better than nothing:
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- Eat as healthy a diet as possible – diversify the food groups you consume and avoid ultra-processed foods.
- There are many ways to eat well; personalised diets incorporating foods that are local and affordable where you live and fit your needs are best.
- Exercise – be creative; walking, bike riding, tai chi, dancing… it all counts.
- Keep learning – challenge your brain, whether it is by picking up a new language, doing crosswords, singing…
- Pay attention to your cardiovascular health and any other chronic diseases.
- Maintain connection – humans are social animals; socialising replenishes our brain health and reduces depression and isolation.
- Pay attention to your general physical maintenance – check the health of your teeth, avoid head injury, make sure you get enough sleep, don’t smoke nor drink excessive amounts of alcohol.
- One step that has stood out as a possible game changer is getting a hearing aid for those with hearing loss, which has not only shown to slow cognitive decline but is cost effective and scalable. ADI encourages governments and healthcare systems to improve access to these devices, particularly in lower- and middle-income countries.
- Risk reduction is a lifelong endeavour and most effective when awareness and understanding of brain health begins at a young age, establishing good habits.
- Risk reduction does not end at diagnosis – people with dementia can implement healthy lifestyle changes aimed at slowing the progression of the condition. More research is needed and more should be done to ensure that people who have been diagnosed with dementia have access to education and the support they will need to modify their behaviours and to continue to live a purposeful life.
- Some risks cannot be addressed individually. Governments must address broader issues such as green spaces for safe exercise, air pollution, access to education (especially for girls), more equitable access to healthcare, and regulations/ guidance around ultra-processed foods, etc.
- Governments must provide support and incentives to people to reduce their own risk. One way is by funding community public health systems that can play an integral role in facilitating behavioural change.
- On an international level, an extension of the Global action plan on dementia beyond 2025 is needed. ADI calls on member states to bring this initiative to the WHO to ensure dementia remains a global health priority. ADI further notes that member states have already committed to risk reduction through action area 3 of the Global action plan.
- ADI calls on governments to develop robust risk reduction strategies to include in their national dementia plans, aligned with non-communicable diseases (NCD) risk reduction targets. Recognising that these conditions have shared risk factors, there is an opportunity to leverage existing awareness campaigns, and even to create new integrated ones to benefit public health.
- The risk reduction field is evolving quickly, but it is paramount to ensure diversity and inclusion in all research if we are to address dementia risk across the global community.
- ADI calls for governments to keep up the momentum and invest further in risk reduction research, driving new understanding and innovations to promote healthy ageing, including after a diagnosis.
Arabic
يركز التقرير العالمي لمرض الزهايمر 2023 على الحد من مخاطر الخرف، ويقدم نظرة عالمية حقيقية عن كيفية مواجهة عوامل خطر الإصابة بالخرف حول العالم.
يبحث التقرير في الدوافع الكامنة وراء الحد من المخاطر ويقدم نظرة عامة يسهل الوصول إليها عن عوامل الخطر القابلة للتعديل وغير القابلة للتعديل. ستجد في الداخل تفصيلاً واضحاً لأحدث الأبحاث حول هذا الموضوع، إلى جانب قصص وصور مقنعة، توضح كيف يتجلى الحد من مخاطر الخرف بطرق ملموسة في جميع أنحاء العالم، مع مقالات من جنوب أفريقيا وكينيا وباكستان وسنغافورة واليابان وأوروغواي وكولومبيا والمملكة المتحدة.
تشمل الموضوعات التي يغطيها التقرير ما يلي:
مخاطر الصحة البدنية
مخاطر الصحة العقلية
البيئة والمخاطر على مستوى السكان
المخاطر غير القابلة للتعديل
الحد من المخاطر الوقائية
الحد من المخاطر بعد التشخيص
2023 التقرير العالمي لمرض الزهايمر لعام
Chinese
《2023 年世界老年痴呆症》报告重点关注降低痴呆症风险，提供了一个真正全球性的角度检视世界各地如何经历各种的痴呆症风险因素。
此报告探讨了能有效降低风险背后的推动力，并以让人容易理解的方式，概述了可改变和不可改变的风险因素。报告中亦辑录了来自南非、肯尼亚、巴基斯坦、新加坡、日本、乌拉圭、哥伦比亚和英国的文章及引人入胜的故事和图片，以展示世界各地如何以具体的方式降低痴呆症风险，并且您将可按清晰的分类阅读最新研究。
报告内涵盖的主题包括:
身体健康风险
大脑健康风险
环境和人口风险
不可改变的风险
降低预防性风险
降低诊断后风险
Spanish
El Informe Mundial sobre el Alzheimer 2023 se centra en la reducción del riesgo de demencia, ofreciendo una visión verdaderamente global de cómo se experimentan los factores de riesgo de demencia en todo el mundo.
Descárgate ahora gratis el Informe Mundial sobre el Alzheimer 2023 en español.
El informe examina los factores que impulsan la reducción del riesgo y ofrece una visión general accesible de los factores de riesgo modificables y no modificables. En su interior encontrará un claro desglose de las últimas investigaciones sobre este tema, junto con historias e imágenes convincentes, que demuestran cómo la reducción del riesgo de demencia se expresa de forma concreta en todo el mundo, con artículos de Sudáfrica, Kenia, Pakistán, Singapur, Japón, Uruguay, Colombia y el Reino Unido.
Los temas tratados en el informe incluyen
- Riesgos para la salud física
- Riesgos para la salud cerebral
- Riesgos para el medio ambiente y la población
- Riesgos no modificables
- Reducción preventiva de riesgos
- Reducción de riesgos tras el diagnóstico