Lower Income Linked to Higher Prevalence of Dementia Risk Factors

MONDAY, Nov. 17, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Lower income is associated with a higher prevalence of many individual-level dementia risk factors, according to a study published online Nov. 12 in Neurology.

Eric L. Stulberg, M.D., M.P.H., from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and colleagues examined population attributable fractions of modifiable dementia risk factors by income using data from the 1999 to 2008, 2011 to 2014, and mainly the 2015 to 2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys for individuals aged 18 to 44 (early-midlife), 45 to 64 (midlife), and 65 years and older (late-life).

Between 2015 and 2018, 13,145 individuals with risk factor data were included (51.1, 31.0, and 17.9 percent aged 18 to 44, 45 to 64, and 65 years and older, respectively). The researchers observed associations for higher income with a lower prevalence of each dementia risk factor except obesity, high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and traumatic brain injury. For those with incomes <100 percent of the federal poverty level, the highest population attributable fraction was late-life vision loss (20.9 percent). There was an association seen for higher income with a lower number of midlife risk factors (prevalence ratio, 0.91). Historically underrepresented race-ethnicity categories in dementia studies were associated with midlife diabetes, obesity, physical inactivity, and late-life vision loss.

“Our results suggest there may be an opportunity to help people reduce their dementia risk factors now, thereby reducing risks among people with lower incomes and historically underrepresented populations in clinical studies, where our study suggests many risk factors are more prevalent,” Stulberg said in a statement.

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