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Sex and socioeconomic differences in 15-year prevalence trends for modifiable dementia risk factors in Australia: a cross-sectional, time series analysis
Heidi Welberry, Louisa R. Jorm, Kim M. Kiely, Md Hamidul Huque, Ruth M. H. Peters, Kaarin Jane Anstey. The Lancet Healthy Longevity, 2025-05-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
In mid-life, the sample sizes ranged from 4100 in 2022 to 5589 in 2017-18 and in late-life from 2799 in 2011-12 to 3762 in 2017-18. Smoking, high alcohol intake, physical inactivity, hearing loss, and low education in mid-life decreased and obesity, depression, and poor diet increased; resulting in no change in population attributable fraction (47·2% [95% CI 46·5-48·0] in 2007-08 and 46·9% [45·9-47·7] in 2022). High alcohol intake, physical inactivity, and low education in late-life decreased; depression and poor diet increased; and there was no change in population attributable fraction (51·5% [50·9-52·5] in 2007-08 and 51·4% [50·7-52·4] in 2022). In mid-life, modifiable risk was higher among low-income groups and males and depression was the leading modifiable risk factor in 2022, disproportionately affecting low-income households and females. The modifiable population attributable fraction of dementia in Australia in the past 15 years remained stable, but the profile of risk has changed. Low-income groups (compared with high-income groups) have substantially higher modifiable risk and targeted multidomain interventions could help reduce disparities. FUNDING: National Health and Medical Research.
Key findings
- In mid-life, the sample sizes ranged from 4100 in 2022 to 5589 in 2017-18 and in late-life from 2799 in 2011-12 to 3762 in 2017-18.
- Smoking, high alcohol intake, physical inactivity, hearing loss, and low education in mid-life decreased and obesity, depression, and poor diet increased; resulting in no change in population attributable fraction (47·2% [95% CI 46·5-48·0] in 2007-08 and 46·9% [45·9-47·7] in 2022).
- High alcohol intake, physical inactivity, and low education in late-life decreased; depression and poor diet increased; and there was no change in population attributable fraction (51·5% [50·9-52·5] in 2007-08 and 51·4% [50·7-52·4] in 2022).
- In mid-life, modifiable risk was higher among low-income groups and males and depression was the leading modifiable risk factor in 2022, disproportionately affecting low-income households and females.
- The modifiable population attributable fraction of dementia in Australia in the past 15 years remained stable, but the profile of risk has changed.
Why it matters
This Australian analysis found the overall preventable proportion of dementia stayed stable over 15 years, but the mix of risk factors changed, with depression becoming the leading midlife modifiable risk factor and low-income groups facing substantially higher risk. It suggests targeted multidomain interventions could help reduce disparities, but does not test such interventions.
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Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 47/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (The Lancet Healthy Longevity) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | The Lancet Healthy Longevity: journal h-index 78 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in time |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 2 / 7 | Cited 6 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.0 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 6 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Kaarin Jane Anstey: h-index 103 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | UNSW Sydney: institution h-index 1,101 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40425022) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 47 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1016/j.lanhl.2025.100711
- PubMed: 40425022
- Original source →
- Free full text: The Lancet Healthy Longevity →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Welberry, H., Jorm, L. R., Kiely, K. M., Huque, M. H., Peters, R. M. H., & Anstey, K. J. (2025). Sex and socioeconomic differences in 15-year prevalence trends for modifiable dementia risk factors in Australia: a cross-sectional, time series analysis. The Lancet Healthy Longevity. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanhl.2025.100711
Vancouver
Welberry H, Jorm LR, Kiely KM, Huque MH, Peters RMH, Anstey KJ. Sex and socioeconomic differences in 15-year prevalence trends for modifiable dementia risk factors in Australia: a cross-sectional, time series analysis. The Lancet Healthy Longevity. 2025. doi:10.1016/j.lanhl.2025.100711. PMID: 40425022.
BibTeX
@article{welberry2025-40425022,
author = {Welberry, Heidi and Jorm, Louisa R. and Kiely, Kim M. and Huque, Md Hamidul and Peters, Ruth M. H. and Anstey, Kaarin Jane},
title = {{Sex and socioeconomic differences in 15-year prevalence trends for modifiable dementia risk factors in Australia: a cross-sectional, time series analysis}},
journal = {The Lancet Healthy Longevity},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1016/j.lanhl.2025.100711},
pmid = {40425022},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanhl.2025.100711}
}
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