Dementia Awareness Week - Links Between Chronic Diseases and Dementia

Visiting Dementia Awareness Week lecturer, Dr Kristine Yaffe, says there needs to be greater public awareness of the dangerous links between dementia and some of the country’s most serious chronic diseases that affect millions of Australians.
“There is a growing body of evidence showing that other chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke and diabetes, as well as risk factors including depression, obesity and sleep, are associated with cognitive decline. “If left unchecked, these chronic diseases can increase a person’s risk of developing dementia,” Dr Yaffe said.
Dr Yaffe, who is Professor of Psychiatry, Neurology and Epidemiology at the University of California, SanFrancisco (UCSF), is in Australia at the invitation of Alzheimer’s Australia for a public lecture tour that will include Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane.
Australian of the Year 2013 and Alzheimer’s Australia National President, Ita Buttrose said Alzheimer’s Australia has been a long-time advocate of preventive health strategies.
“Maximising your brain health and managing your blood sugar, cholesterol levels, blood pressure and body weight can help reduce the risk of developing some of the most debilitating chronic diseases, including dementia. “During Dementia Awareness Week we want to encourage people to adopt healthier lifestyles and understand the connection between their physical health and their brain health. "As our population ages,  it’s vital for people to understand and improve their overall health, and that includes their brains as well as their bodies,” Ms Buttrose said.
This year’s theme for Dementia Awareness Week is Brain Health: Making the Connections. Dementia Awareness Week is the national flagship week for Alzheimer’s Australia’s community awareness activities.
Dementia Awareness Week is supported by financial assistance from the Australian Government.
Alzheimer’s Australia is the charity for people with dementia and their families and carers. As the peak bo dy, it provides
advocacy, support services, education and information. More than 320,000 people have dementia in Australia. This number is
projected to reach more than half a million by 2030