Neurological diseases are the leading cause of disability and the second cause of death worldwide. In an increasingly aging society, disorders such as dementia and stroke affect a growing number of people, with significant personal, family, and socioeconomic consequences. However, scientific evidence indicates that up to 80% of strokes and around 40% of dementia cases could be prevented by controlling certain modifiable risk factors, challenging the widespread belief that cognitive decline is an inevitable consequence of aging.
With this approach, the project “Preventing dementia and stroke: analysis of modifiable risk factors in the population of Cantabria” is being developed, led by the Neurodegenerative Diseases Group at the Marqués de Valdecilla Research Institute (IDIVAL). The initiative is part of JADE Health (Joint Action for Dementia), a European joint action co‑funded by the European Union involving 17 countries, aimed at improving prevention, early detection, and care for cognitive and neurovascular disorders. The program began in January 2025 and will run for 36 months, implementing activities both within healthcare systems and among the general population to improve health education and reduce the stigma associated with these diseases.
Common risk factors in the population
The Cantabrian project analyzes the prevalence of modifiable risk factors associated with dementia and stroke in the region’s population using data from Cohorte Cantabria, a population-based study led by IDIVAL that collects health information, socioeconomic variables, and biological samples from 50,000 volunteers aged 40 to 70 residing in Cantabria. The results show a significant presence of vascular risk factors: hypertension in 13.6% of participants, diabetes in 4.2%, and atrial fibrillation in 2%. Additionally, obesity was found in 26.5% and elevated cholesterol levels in 53.2%, a figure that includes both undiagnosed cases and situations of insufficient cholesterol control, pointing to potential issues of underdiagnosis and undertreatment.
Lifestyle habits also show room for improvement. More than half of participants (52.4%) were considered physically inactive according to World Health Organization criteria, which recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week. Regarding diet, 55.2% showed low adherence to a low-fat diet and 37.9% to the Mediterranean diet. Furthermore, 31.5% reported being active smokers and 5.5% showed excessive alcohol consumption.
Specific dementia-related factors and prevention
The study also examined specific factors associated with dementia risk. A total of 21.9% of participants had a low educational level, defined as eight years or less of formal schooling, although various studies suggest that cognitive stimulation in adulthood can compensate for part of this risk. Additionally, 5.1% presented hearing loss, a dementia risk factor whose impact can be significantly reduced through the use of hearing aids.
The results will be integrated into JADE Health activities to develop epidemiological models that estimate the number of potentially preventable cases of dementia and stroke both at the European level and in Cantabria. According to the researchers, the data reveal a wide margin for improving the population’s brain health, reinforcing the importance of developing evidence‑based prevention strategies tailored to the characteristics of the community.
