A new study has revealed that the risk of dementia for individuals aged 55 and above has been doubled.

A study led by Johns Hopkins University and other institutions predicts that the number of dementia cases in the U.S. will double by 2060, with an estimated one million people being diagnosed annually.

A press release stated that Americans' risk of developing dementia after age 55 is 42%, which is double the risk previously identified in studies.

The study found that for individuals who reach 75 years of age, the lifetime risk exceeds 50%.

On average, women face a 48% risk while men have a 35% risk, and the difference is due to women living longer than men.

A study published in Nature Medicine on Jan. 13 examined data from the ARIC-NCS, a study that has followed the cognitive and vascular health of nearly 16,000 adults since 1987.

Dementia is most commonly associated with aging, but other factors such as genetics, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles, and mental health disorders also increase the risk, according to a release.

Individuals with the APOE4 gene variant and black adults have a higher risk of developing dementia.

The Optimal Aging Institute at NYU Langone's study results predict a significant increase in dementia burden in the US, with one in two Americans expected to experience cognitive difficulties after age 55, according to senior investigator and epidemiologist Josef Coresh, MD, PhD.

The study suggested that interventions used to prevent heart disease risk may also prevent or slow down dementia, according to research.

Coresh stated that the impending increase in dementia cases presents significant challenges for health policymakers, who must shift their focus to minimizing the severity of these cases and developing strategies to provide more healthcare services for those affected by dementia.

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The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Planet Chronicle Digital reached out to the researchers for additional comment.