Burden of Dementia attributable to risk factors in Türkiye, 1990–2023
Abstract
Introduction: Dementia is an increasing public health challenge in Türkiye, largely driven by population ageing and the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This study aimed to assess temporal trends in prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) attributable to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, and to quantify the contribution of key modifiable risk factors—high fasting plasma glucose (FPG), high body mass index (BMI), and smoking—between 1990 and 2023.
Methods: Data were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease 2023 study. Age-standardized rates (ASRs) for prevalence, mortality, and DALYs were analyzed. Trends by sex and year were assessed using joinpoint regression, estimating annual percent change (APC) and average annual percent change (AAPC).
Results: In 2023, the estimated number of dementia cases in Türkiye reached 626,189, with women accounting for 63.90%. Dementia mortality and DALY ASRs increased modestly, with AAPCs of 0.46% and 0.23%, respectively. In contrast, prevalence ASRs showed a slight but significant decline (AAPC: −0.15%). The dementia burden attributable to metabolic risk factors rose substantially: DALY and mortality ASRs linked to high FPG increased annually by 1.97% and 2.19%, respectively, while those attributable to high BMI increased by 2.10% and 2.54%. Conversely, smoking-attributable DALY and mortality ASRs declined (AAPC: −0.90% and −0.68%). Across all indicators, the burden remained consistently higher among females.
Conclusions: The burden of dementia in Türkiye continues to increase, with metabolic risk factors, FPG and BMI, playing an increasingly important role and higher burden among females. These findings underscore the need for tailored prevention strategies, early detection, and strengthened primary care to reduce metabolic risk factors and promote healthy ageing, particularly among women.
Key messages: • The burden of dementia in Türkiye continues to increase.
• Metabolic risk factors, especially high FPG and BMI, are increasingly important, with a higher burden in women.
Related
- Population burden of diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease attributable to obesity: a community-based study in Türkiye
- Preventable dementia in the Netherlands; population attributable fraction of modifiable risk factors
- Age-period-cohort analysis, attributable risk factors, and trend prediction of maternal and neonatal disease burden in China and G20 countries from 1990 to 2023
- Global Burden, Temporal Trends, Extrapolation Based on Past Trends, and Population Attributable Fractions of Risk Factors for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: An Ecological Study Based on the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021.
- The burden of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis and its attributable risk factors in 204 countries and territories, 1990–2021
BibTeX
@article{unal2026burden,
title = {{Burden of Dementia attributable to risk factors in Türkiye, 1990–2023}},
author = {B Unal and F T Erturk and A Kose and D İslek},
journal = {The European Journal of Public Health},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.1125},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.1125},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Burden of Dementia attributable to risk factors in Türkiye, 1990–2023
AU - B Unal
AU - F T Erturk
AU - A Kose
AU - D İslek
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - The European Journal of Public Health
DO - 10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.1125
UR - https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.1125
AB - Introduction: Dementia is an increasing public health challenge in Türkiye, largely driven by population ageing and the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This study aimed to assess temporal trends in prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) attributable to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, and to quantify the contribution of key modifiable risk factors—high fasting plasma glucose (FPG), high body mass index (BMI), and smoking—between 1990 and 2023. Methods: Data were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease 2023 study. Age-standardized rates (ASRs) for prevalence, mortality, and DALYs were analyzed. Trends by sex and year were assessed using joinpoint regression, estimating annual percent change (APC) and average annual percent change (AAPC). Results: In 2023, the estimated number of dementia cases in Türkiye reached 626,189, with women accounting for 63.90%. Dementia mortality and DALY ASRs increased modestly, with AAPCs of 0.46% and 0.23%, respectively. In contrast, prevalence ASRs showed a slight but significant decline (AAPC: −0.15%). The dementia burden attributable to metabolic risk factors rose substantially: DALY and mortality ASRs linked to high FPG increased annually by 1.97% and 2.19%, respectively, while those attributable to high BMI increased by 2.10% and 2.54%. Conversely, smoking-attributable DALY and mortality ASRs declined (AAPC: −0.90% and −0.68%). Across all indicators, the burden remained consistently higher among females. Conclusions: The burden of dementia in Türkiye continues to increase, with metabolic risk factors, FPG and BMI, playing an increasingly important role and higher burden among females. These findings underscore the need for tailored prevention strategies, early detection, and strengthened primary care to reduce metabolic risk factors and promote healthy ageing, particularly among women. Key messages: • The burden of dementia in Türkiye continues to increase. • Metabolic risk factors, especially high FPG and BMI, are increasingly important, with a higher burden in women.
SN - 1101-1262
SN - 1464-360X
ER -