Diabetes and depression ‘key targets’ for reducing dementia

Preventing diabetes and depression could help to reduce the number of people diagnosed with dementia, scientists say.

Researchers in France and the UK also believe that improving education and encouraging people to eat more fruit and vegetables could help to tackle dementia, which currently affects about 750,000 people in the UK.

The study authors set out to determine which lifestyle factors could have the greatest effect on dementia rates, in the event that no effective treatment is found.

Eliminating depression and diabetes and increasing fruit and vegetable consumption were estimated to lead to a 21 per cent reduction in new cases of dementia.

Meanwhile, increasing education would lead to an estimated 18 per cent reduction in new cases, the researchers said.

Professor Clive Ballard, director of research at the Alzheimer’s Society, said that such preventative measures could improve lives and reduce healthcare expenditure.

Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust, added: “Any policy that urges clear diagnosis and monitoring of these conditions could help make an impact on dementia.”