New study finds sharp rise in dementia risk among people aged 55 and over

Cases of dementia in the United States are expected to double by 2060, with an estimated 1 million people diagnosed with dementia each year, according to a new study led by Johns Hopkins University and others.

Researchers found that Americans' risk of developing dementia after age 55 is 42 percent, twice the risk found in previous studies, a news release said.

Studies have found that for people over 75, the lifetime risk exceeds 50%.

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Women face an average risk of 48% and men face a risk of 35%, with the difference being attributed to women living longer than men.

Dementia cases in the United States are expected to double by 2060, with an estimated 1 million people diagnosed each year. (iStock)

The study, published Jan. 13 in the journal Nature Medicine, analyzed data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Neurocognitive Study (ARIC-NCS), which has been tracking nearly 16,000 adults since 1987 of cognitive and vascular health.

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Aging is the greatest risk factor for dementia, with other factors including genetics, obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, unhealthy diet, sedentary lifestyles and mental health disorders, the release said.

Research has found that people who carry a variant of the APOE4 gene, which is linked to late-onset Alzheimer's disease, are at higher risk of developing dementia. Black adults are also at higher risk.

Researchers found that Americans' risk of developing dementia after age 55 was 42 percent, twice the risk found in previous studies. (iStock)

“Our findings predict that the burden of dementia in the United States will increase dramatically in the coming decades, with one in two Americans expected to develop dementia after age 55,” said study senior researcher and epidemiologist Dr. Josef Coresh. Know the Difficulty.” In a press release, he serves as the founding director of NYU Langone's Institute for Optimal Aging.

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Research shows that the same interventions used to prevent heart disease risk can also prevent or slow dementia.

Research shows that the same interventions used to prevent heart disease risk can also prevent or slow dementia. (iStock)

Koresh said: “The impending population surge in dementia cases poses a major challenge for health policymakers, who must refocus their efforts on developing strategies to minimize the severity of dementia cases and plan for better provision of services for people with dementia. More health care services.”

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The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the researchers for additional comment.