Advice on dementia and lifestyle changes which could reduce the risk of developing it will be included for the first time in free NHS Health Checks for over-40s.
Public Health England (PHE) estimates that up to a third of dementia cases could be improved through positive lifestyle choices. Now advice on those choices will be included in NHS Health Checks carried out at GP surgeries and through community health programmes.
While public awareness of dementia is growing, research from PHE shows that many people think you will either get it or you won’t and there is nothing you can do to influence the likelihood. More than a quarter (28%) of those surveyed had no awareness of risk factors for dementia (things that could make it more likely) and only 2% knew what they could do to reduce those risk factors.
Including advice in regular NHS Health Checks for over-40s was trialled by PHE with the help of the Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research UK. After encouraging results, the trial is now being rolled out nationally. Until now, the health check has focussed on reducing risk factors for cardiovascular disease, but the advice relating to dementia is similar because, as PHE chief executive Duncan Selbie puts it: “What’s good for the heart is good for the brain.”
The key ways to reduce risk factors for dementia are to stop smoking, maintain a healthy weight and blood pressure, keep physically and mentally active and have regular social interaction with other people. There is also research which suggests that prolonged use of certain medicines for long-term conditions can increase the risk of dementia, and the health check process includes a review of what medicines you are taking.
With more people living longer and most cases of dementia being age-related, it is estimated there are now more than 850,000 people across the UK living with the degenerative condition. A recent survey by British Social Attitudes showed that more than half (52%) of adults in the UK named dementia as one of their top three health worries.
It is hoped that including dementia advice in the free NHS Health Check for over-40s will encourage more people to take it up, which in turn could lead to more people making positive lifestyle choices, benefiting themselves and easing the burden on the NHS. According to Mr Selbie, taking up the offer of the health check “could add years to your life”.
More than 14 million people in England (91% of those eligible) have been offered an NHS Health Check over the past five years, but fewer than half have taken up the offer. If people are in generally good health, they might think there is no point having the check, but it could highlight potentially dangerous conditions they are unaware of, such as high blood pressure, cholesterol or diabetes risk. Even for those in good health, the check includes good advice on maintaining it for the future.
Minister for Public Health, Steve Brine, said: “Early detection and prevention are vital to the health of our nation and our programmes in this area are among the most ambitious in the world. Our aim is to keep everyone as healthy as possible, for as long as possible.”
Everyone in England between the ages of 40 and 74 is eligible for the free NHS Health Check and encouraged to take one every five years. Lasting 20 to 30 minutes, it is a kind of ‘health MoT’ which typically involves measuring height and weight, testing blood pressure, taking a blood test and talking about any particular health concerns. As well as flagging up any existing problems or potential health concerns, it provides lifestyle advice on maintaining good health. You can find out more about the free NHS health check, and how to get one, by clicking here.
Some people being treated for long-term conditions (such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney disease or stroke) might not be offered the check, as their health is already being regularly monitored by their GP. Also, the NHS in Wales does not offer the checks, but has a separate scheme which targets groups at risk of disease, rather than by age. Scotland has a national dementia strategy focusing on early diagnosis and offering anyone diagnosed with the condition a follow-up support scheme.