Chennai: A recent report published in Lancet Neurology journal reveals that individuals living with dementia and Alzheimer's disease in India have increased manifold from 1990 to 2016. India witnessed nearly 29 lakh cases of Alzheimer's disease and other cases of dementia in the 26-year period and nearly 1.4 lakh deaths arising from the problem.
The study aimed at presenting the first detailed analysis of the global prevalence, mortality, and overall burden of dementia as captured by the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors (GBD) Study 2016.
“The number of individuals living with dementia is increasing, negatively affecting families, communities, and health-care systems around the world,” said the study.
The data for the study was collected on dementia from vital registration systems, published scientific literature and surveys, and data from health-service encounters on deaths, excess mortality, prevalence, and incidence from 195 countries and territories from 1990 to 2016, through systematic review and additional data-seeking efforts.
Data were analyzed to estimate deaths, prevalence, years of life lost (YLLs), years of life lived with disability (YLDs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) attributing it to high fasting plasma glucose, smoking, and a diet high in sugar-sweetened beverages.
The study revealed that the global number of people living with dementia more than doubled from 1990 to 2016, mainly due to increases in population ageing and growth. More than 29 lakh cases of Alzheimer's disease and other dementia were recorded between 1990 and 2016, while 1.4 lakh deaths were recorded due to the same.
In 2016, 4.3 crore people across the globe individuals were living with dementia than was 2.02 crore in 1990, with an increase of 117 percent. . More women than men had dementia in 2016 and dementia was the fifth leading cause of death globally. The study said that 64 lakh dementia cases could be attributed to t he modifiable risk factors of high BMI, high fasting plasma glucose, smoking, and a high intake of sugar-sweetened beverages.
The study highlighted the need of breakthroughs in prevention or curative treatment of dementia or it will continue to remain a major challenge for health-care systems globally.
