A COHORT study has found that former professional football players in Scotland face a significantly higher risk of dementia compared to matched general population controls, despite lower or comparable prevalence of modifiable dementia risk factors.
This study investigated the potential link between general health and lifestyle risk factors and dementia among 11,984 former professional football players and 35,952 matched general population controls. Using electronic health record data from Scotland, researchers evaluated conditions such as smoking, depression, alcohol-related disorders, diabetes, hypertension, hearing loss, and obesity. Participants were born between 1900 and 1990 and were at least 30 years old by the study’s conclusion in 2020. Over a median follow-up of 21 years, dementia was diagnosed in 3.62% of football players compared to 1.26% of controls, resulting in a hazard ratio (HR) of 3.02 (95% CI, 2.54-3.58). While overall rates of risk factors like diabetes (4.26% vs 6.35%) and hypertension (HR, 4.62 vs 6.96) were lower or comparable among football players, their dementia risk remained disproportionately high.
These findings suggest that the elevated dementia risk in former football players is unlikely to be attributable to general health or lifestyle-related factors. Instead, the results reinforce the role of repetitive head impacts and traumatic brain injuries sustained during play as key contributors. Moving forward, it is essential for clinical and public health measures to prioritise strategies that mitigate head injury exposure in contact sports. While modifiable risk factors should still be addressed in clinical practice, targeted interventions focusing on brain injury prevention may yield the greatest benefits for at-risk populations.
Katrina Thornber, EMJ
Reference
Russell ER et al. Health and lifestyle factors and dementia risk among former professional soccer players. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(12):e2449742.
