Siyu Liu and Daoying Geng from Fudan University conducted a systematic analysis of data from the Global Burden of Disease collaboration (GBD 2021) and found that the burden of dementia in China is increasing significantly faster than in most other countries. The researchers used GBD data for 1990–2021 and analyzed disease burden indicators and risk factors for Alzheimer's disease and other dementias in people aged 40 years and older, including incidence, incidence, mortality, disability-adjusted life years, disability-adjusted life years, and years of life lost. The dynamics were estimated using joinpoint regression and projected for the next 15 years using an ARIMA model. The results are published in the journal PLoS One.
The analysis showed that the burden of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias in China is significantly higher than in most countries, tripling in 32 years while doubling globally. Women had a higher burden but lower mortality. The main reason for the increase in burden was population growth. The main risk factors included high fasting glucose (which was the dominant factor), smoking, and high body mass index.