Population intervention strategies towards delaying the onset of dementia

As the number and proportion of aging population increase, dementia has posed tremendous challenges to the sustainable social and economic development of many countries in the world. Thus, dementia has been identified as a global public health priority. Clinically, there is currently no cure for dementia. However, in the past decades epidemiological research has suggested that cardiovascular risk factors and psychosocial factors over the life-course could significantly affect the risk of dementia occurrence later in life. Of these factors, smoking, diabetes, and midlife hypertension, obesity, and high cholesterol might contribute to the clinical onset of late-life dementia by causing cerebral macro-and microvascular damage and neurodegeneration, whereas high educational attainments in early life and social engagement, physical and mentally-stimulating activities during adulthoods might help maintain late-life cognitive function by increasing cognitive reserve. Thus, theoretically clinical onset of dementia is likely to be postponed by implementing interventions targeting these factors over the lifespan. In recent years, evidence from research in Europe and North America has emerged that multimodal interventions that consist of intensive control of cardiovascular risk factors, balanced diets, physical activity, and cognitive training may help maintain cognitive function among individuals at risk for dementia. We call that population intervention research against dementia should be strengthened in China. Identifying the intervention programmes against dementia that are effective specifically among Chinese population is of high relevance for developing the national dementia action plan, and thus effectively dealing with the huge challenges by dementia. Key words: Dementia; Cardiovascular risk factors; Psychosocial factors; Cognitive reserve; Population intervention strategy; Epidemiology