China has highest number of Alzheimer patients: Report

Beijing : China has become the country with the largest number of Alzheimer's patients in the world, the state-run Global Times reported.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia and mostly affects people in old age. In China, however, the disease is also occurring at an increasingly younger age.

According to a report titled "Alzheimer's Patients Demand Insight Report" released in Beijing at a themed meeting, about 15.07 million people aged 60 and above in China have dementia, of which 9.83 million have Alzheimer's disease.

With the acceleration of the ageing population, the data showed that the highest number of people diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease for the first time was in people aged 60 to 79 years, which accounts for 62.1 per cent of the total population, according to Global Times.

However, people with Alzheimer's disease who are aged below 60 account for 21.3 per cent, a proportion higher than patients with Alzheimer's disease in their early stages reported internationally, which is between 5 per cent to 10 per cent, reported Global Times.

The report further warned that the people belonging to this category belong to working ages and hence called for early screening and diagnosis.

According to the report, over 60 per cent of patients with Alzheimer's disease have yet to be screened with 12.8 per cent unaware of the need for screening, reported Global Times.

Lu Lin, an academician from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and president of the Sixth Hospital of Peking University, said that the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease in China is rising, with 5-6 per cent over the age of 65, 10 per cent at the age of 70 and 48 per cent at the age of 90.

Moreover, the global challenge to deal with Alzheimer's disease is significant, however, currently, there is no specific drug for the disease and prevention is an effective means to deal with the disease, Lu said.

He further suggested people should lead a healthy lifestyle proper exercise and adequate sleep which can further prevent Alzheimer's disease, Global Times reported.