
Researchers from Alzheimer’s Disease International are calling for dementia to be recognised as a non-communicable disease and as one of the leading causes of death worldwide.
In research published in Nature Reviews Neurology, lead author and Alzheimer’s Disease International chief executive officer Paola Barbarino said they discovered the number of people living with dementia is set to almost triple to 139 million by 2050.
“Given the prevalence and severity of living with dementia, its omission by policy makers worldwide is perplexing,” said Ms Barbarino.
“Unlike other non-communicable diseases like cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes, dementia does not receive the same funding or level of inclusion in health policy.”

Ms Barbarino said that governments continued to misrepresent dementia, despite predictions it will be the third leading cause of death by 2040.
Data suggests it’s currently the seventh leading cause of death, said Lewis Arthurton, who is head of communications and policy at ADI.
“Given the shared risk factors between dementia and other NCDs, incorporating dementia into broader risk reduction efforts offers a practical and efficient path forward to help ensure these estimates do not become a reality,” Mr Arthurton told Australian Ageing Agenda.
“Research suggests that as many as 45 per cent of all dementia cases could be delayed or prevented by addressing 14 modifiable risk factors, including hypertension, physical inactivity, and smoking.”
He added: “A direct benefit of integrating dementia into public health campaigns and messaging, particularly those addressing conditions with shared risk factors, is the potential to amplify awareness and preventive action.”
Mr Athurton told AAA that by embedding dementia within NCD policies and public health messaging, we can better harness these overlapping prevention strategies to delay or prevent the onset of dementia while improving overall public health outcomes.

Other stakeholders also have their part to play if their call for action is to be acknowledged, he said.
“Healthcare providers play an indispensable role in advancing and addressing the growing public health crisis that dementia presents and are active at all stages of persons or families’ journey through the condition,” Mr Arthurton said.
“By providing a timely diagnosis, they can enable timely interventions that could improve outcomes for individuals and their families, such as rehabilitation.
WHO report omits dementia
The paper points out an omission in a recent draft report by the World Health Organisation, Strengthening Services for NCDs in All-hazards Emergency: Preparedness, Resilience and Response, which aimed to provide technical assistance to strengthen the response to patients with non-communicable diseases in a humanitarian crisis.
Ms Barbarino said that despite people living with dementia being uniquely vulnerable in a humanitarian crisis, how they could be best supported was not mentioned in the report.
“Ultimately, the omission of dementia from the highest levels of international health policy means that adequate resourcing and strategy will not be allocated to the disease, particularly at national levels,” Ms Barbarino said.
“As we note in our paper, this omission is a reflection of the myth that dementia is simply a natural part of ageing. We can’t let dementia diagnosis, treatment and support slip through the cracks because of this belief. As rates of dementia continue to spiral, it’s more important than ever that international leaders move quickly to create adequate policies and systems to support the millions living with dementia.”
To ensure dementia is fully recognised as a non-communicable disease and one of the world’s leading causes of death, it is essential for governments and stakeholders to first acknowledge dementia’s status as an non-communicable disease, Mr Arthurton said.
Despite meeting all the criteria for inclusion, Alzheimer’s Disease International’s member associations have frequently been excluded from NCD policies and initiatives. This exclusion has resulted in missed opportunities to address the condition effectively.
“Dementia must be explicitly integrated into NCD frameworks, standing alongside conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease,” he told AAA.
“Such recognition would compel governments and policymakers to acknowledge not only the profound impact dementia has on those living with the condition but also its far-reaching effects on society as a whole. This integration would pave the way for allocating adequate funding and resources to support prevention, early diagnosis, effective treatment, and comprehensive care.”
Mr Arthurton said this theory must be applied at a global level and remove artificial barriers that hinder progress.
“Concerningly, still at this stage, dementia is not due to be considered at the upcoming High-Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Disease at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2025,” he said.
“This is perplexing, given by 2030 there will be 78 million people estimated to be living with the condition. Its absence would constitute a critical failure to seize a pivotal opportunity to advance dementia care and support over the next five years.”
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