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Background: Approximately 40% of dementia cases worldwide are attributable to 12 potentially modifiable risk factors. However, the proportion attributable to these risks in Latin America remains unknown. We aimed to determine the population attributable fraction (PAF) of 12 modifiable risk factors for dementia in seven countries in Latin America., Methods: We used data from seven cross-sectional, nationally representative surveys with measurements of 12 modifiable risk factors for dementia (less education, hearing loss, hypertension, obesity, smoking, depression, social isolation, physical inactivity, diabetes, excessive alcohol intake, air pollution, and traumatic brain injury) done in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Honduras, Mexico, and Peru. Data were collected between 2015 and 2021. Sample sizes ranged from 5995 to 107 907 participants (aged ≥18 years). We calculated risk factor prevalence and communalities in each country and used relative risks from previous meta-analyses to derive weighted PAFs. Pooled PAFs for Latin America were obtained using random effect meta-analyses., Findings: The overall proportion of dementia cases attributed to 12 modifiable risk factors varied across Latin American countries: weighted PAF 61·8% (95% CI 37·9-79·5) in Chile, 59·6% (35·8-77·3) in Argentina, 55·8% (35·7-71·5) in Mexico, 55·5% (35·9-70·4) in Bolivia, 53·6% (33·0-69·3) in Honduras, 48·2% (28·1-63·9) in Brazil, and 44·9% (25·8-61·2) in Peru. The overall PAF for dementia was 54·0% (48·8-59·6) for Latin America. The highest weighted PAFs in Latin American countries overall were for obesity (7%), physical inactivity (6%), and depression (5%)., Interpretation: The estimated PAFs for Latin American countries were higher than previous global estimates. Obesity, physical inactivity, and depression were the main risk factors for dementia across seven Latin American countries. These findings have implications for public health and individually targeted dementia prevention strategies in Latin America. Although these results provide new information about Latin American countries, demographics and representativeness variations across surveys should be considered when interpreting these findings., Funding: None., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests We declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

In a cross-sectional study that aimed to identify risk factors for diabetes, 1290 consecutive, healthy, nonpregnant women of child-bearing age were examined in a center for preventive medicine. An in-depth interview about menses, use of oral contraceptives, and menopause was performed. Plasma glucose at fasting and 2 hours after a 75 gm glucose load, glycated hemoglobin A1c, fasting plasma insulin, total plasma cholesterol, and triglycerides were measured. Compared with nonusers taking no progestogens, oral contraceptive users (n = 431; 33.4%) were younger (p less than 0.001) and leaner (p less than 0.001). After adjustment for age and body mass index, oral contraceptive users had higher 2-hour plasma glucose (p less than 0.001), higher fasting plasma insulin (p less than 0.01), and higher triglycerides levels (p less than 0.01). Fasting plasma glucose, glycated hemoglobin A1c, and total cholesterol did not significantly differ between the two groups. In relation to dosage and types of steroid components, few differences have been found between high-dose and low-dose oral contraceptives or according to the estrogen-progestogen balance of the preparations. Use of oral contraceptives appears to induce an increase of insulin-resistance markers, which have recently been cited as risk factors for ischemic vascular diseases. These markers should be carefully monitored in oral contraceptive users.