New AARP Research Partnership to Pinpoint Dementia Risk Factors

Collaboration has already identified behaviors that increase potential for disease

Tracy Schorn,

AARP

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Published November 15, 2024

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AARP is partnering with two public health organizations to identify dementia risk factors and disrupt the disease before it strikes. The collaboration, launched Friday, is known as the Dementia Risk Reduction Project and includes AARP, the Alzheimer’s Disease Data Initiative (ADDI) and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington.

Two-thirds of Americans have at least one major potential risk factor for dementia and the disease affects over 55 million people globally, including at least 6 million in the U.S. Despite ongoing research, much is still unknown about factors that may influence dementia risk, including around environment, health and lifestyle.

ADDI, a coalition of organizations working to find easier ways to share data and tools, and IHME, an independent health research organization, will work with AARP on this project. The initiative will identify how influences such as air pollution, alcohol use, depression, diabetes, high body mass index, hearing loss, hypertension, low education, physical inactivity, social isolation, smoking and traumatic brain injury vary by state and how these factors correlate to dementia risk. The research can assist both consumers and policymakers when addressing dementia risks in their communities.

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“We can use this information to promote healthier brains and empower people to lower their own risks, potentially delaying dementia onset and fostering healthy aging,” Sarah Lock, AARP senior vice president for policy and executive director of the Global Council on Brain Health said in a statement. “This research aims to give older Americans more quality time with their loved ones.”

AARP hopes to get new information through this novel research initiative and share information to reduce risks, Lock said.

A growing body of evidence shows that mitigating risk factors and promoting healthy behaviors can reduce the risk of cognitive decline, possibly reducing the risk of dementia and protecting cognitive health.

New clues in the fight against dementia

The Dementia Risk Reduction Project pinpointed three risk factors in its latest research:

Smoking: Smokers consuming five cigarettes per day have a 16 percent higher dementia risk than non-smokers.
Air pollution: Prolonged exposure to air pollution significantly raises dementia risk, emphasizing the need for policies to reduce pollution and safeguard brain health.
Diabetes: High-fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels, a marker of diabetes, are strongly linked to an increased risk of dementia, with prediabetic FPG levels raising dementia risk by 32 percent and higher diabetic levels doubling the risk.

“The goal is to improve health and health equity by identifying the risks that make a difference in dementia,” Christopher Murray, director of IHME, said in a statement. “Right now, the risk reduction picture for dementia is not very clear and so targeted action is difficult.”

Teaming up across organizations gives the project an advantage to better understand dementia and find new diagnostics, treatments and cures.

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Sharing the research

The project’s findings, including state-by-state comparisons, will be incorporated into a format that can be used by researchers around the world. Researchers can tap into ADDI’s cloud-based platform, AD Workbench, to request access to data related to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, for use in their secondary research. Researchers can also leverage this project’s work to identify and investigate other research questions, which may enable new dementia discoveries.

AARP has long advocated for more research on brain health and dementia. This project will connect its findings to our six pillars of brain health, which include social engagement, brain stimulation, managing stress, exercise, restorative sleep, and nutrition. Our Staying Sharp initiative is an online program that offers science-based resources for healthy cognitive aging. Find more information in our Brain Health Resource Center and download our AARP Dementia Resource Guide.