Primary Prevention of Dementia: Focus on Modifiable Risk Factors
Patsri Srisuwan MD*
Affiliation : * Outpatient Department, Phramongkutklao Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand
Background : Dementia will inevitably increase in the aging world. Moreover, there is no cure for dementia. Therefore,
primary prevention is very important. There are several factors possibly and/or certainly influencing dementia risk including
non-modifiable and modifiable risk factors. There are evidences that the risk of developing dementia may be reduced by
modifiable risk factors.
Lifestyle factors: The strategies are to encourage regular physical and mental exercise in midlife and in late-life. Those
include cognitive activity and higher education, mentally demanding occupations or participation in mentally challenging
leisure activities, being more socially active, a diet that is low in saturated fat, a diet with lots of fruits and vegetables,
smoking cessation, and prevention of head injury, with loss of consciousness
Chronic disease factors: The strategies are to prevent high blood pressure, especially at midlife, diabetes, high serum
cholesterol, especially at midlife, and depression or high depressive symptoms.
Conclusion : It is important to develop a systematic public-health strategy and research specific to primary prevention of
dementia in Thailand with the evidence-based medicine.
Keywords : Primary prevention, Dementia
