Alzheimer's disease prevention is possible! Critical warnings from an expert...

Highlighting current data from the World Health Organization (WHO), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aslıhan Taşkıran Sağ said, "According to the WHO, 57 million people worldwide were living with dementia in 2021, with 60-70 percent of these cases being caused by Alzheimer's disease. It is known that approximately 10 million new cases of dementia emerge each year. Dementia is one of the leading causes of addiction in older adults worldwide and is still among the seven leading causes of death."

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sağ emphasized that Alzheimer's is not a disease associated solely with aging, saying, "Alzheimer's is a condition that affects all of society, reduces quality of life, and creates a serious health burden. However, today we know that Alzheimer's can be prevented. Small but regular steps can make a big difference in both our individual lives and the society at large."

Also drawing attention to ways to protect against Alzheimer's, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sağ said:

The World Health Organization and scientific research show that approximately 45 percent of Alzheimer's cases are preventable or delayable. This means that changing our lifestyle habits and controlling our risk factors can help us live a healthy old age. We are focusing on 14 lifestyle-related factors:

1. Lack of Education

2. High Blood Pressure

3. Hearing Loss

4. Smoking

5. Obesity

6. Depression

7. Physical Inactivity

8. Diabetes

9. Social Isolation

10. Excessive Alcohol Consumption

11. Exposure to Air Pollution

12. Traumatic Brain Injury

13. Unhealthy Diet

14. Sleep Disorders

Untreated vision loss can also be added to these factors. Regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy diet, and particularly following a Mediterranean diet reduce the risk of Alzheimer's. Furthermore, recent data show that even small daily consumption of olive oil reduces the risk of death from dementia. Furthermore, managing health problems such as blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, and hearing loss through regular checkups alleviates both our individual health and the societal health burden.

Taşkıran Sağ, emphasizing the importance of public awareness, said, "Preventing Alzheimer's is not only the responsibility of individuals but also of societies. Small lifestyle changes by every individual, development of awareness projects by every institution, prevention of trauma and accidents, and provision of nutrition education to children and development of policies related to these issues will contribute to raising healthier generations in the future and reducing dementia. We see this month not only as a time for awareness, but also as a time for action."