Reducing Dementia Risk in Young Adulthood: A Broader Approach to Brain Health

By Laura Booi, Sarah Gregory, Katie Bridgeman, Francesca R. Farina

Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias research has traditionally focused on midlife and older adults. However, by then, many people have already been exposed to risk factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption and poor nutrition, which may impact their future risk for dementia.

Increasingly, we understand that brain health is a lifelong commitment.

Rising Risks, Low Awareness

Reducing dementia risk in young adults, however, is challenging, as young Australians face a growing range of health risks. Around 40% of 18–24-year-olds are overweight or obese, while 42% drink at risky levels.

Despite these exposures, awareness of prevention among young Australians remains limited. In one survey of 604 adults aged 18-44 years, 20% believed there were no modifiable risks for dementia. This gap highlights a pressing need to engage younger populations in dementia prevention strategies.

Over the next 30 years, the number of people in Australia living with dementia is estimated to nearly double, to more than 800,000 by 2054. Risk reduction and resilience development targeting people in young adulthood could prevent a cascade of risk that persists through mid- and later life.

Lifelong Prevention and Equity

Young adulthood is a crucial window for promoting brain health, particularly for populations facing greater inequities.

Reducing dementia risk across the lifespan, especially in young adulthood when many lifelong habits are formed, requires a shift from viewing prevention as an individual responsibility to a collective societal imperative.

Building lifelong brain health begins with creating environments that enable young people to make and sustain healthy choices. It is more important than ever for Australia, together with the global community, to act to make brain health a priority for all.

However, lifelong prevention requires more than individual effort – it also calls for policies, culturally safe programs, and community-led initiatives. Australia’s history with Dementia Friendly Communities and co-designed events provides a foundation for population-wide, equitable brain health promotion.

preventdementia.co.uk/next-gen/

To learn more about practical ways to support brain health as a young adult, you can subscribe to the Australian Journal of Dementia Care.