A National Wake-Up Call: Professor Henry Brodaty’s Plea for Dementia Prevention
Imagine if we could reduce the risk of dementia the same way we reduce the risk of skin cancer—with a simple, catchy public health campaign like “Slip, Slop, Slap.” That’s exactly what renowned brain health expert Professor Henry Brodaty is calling for. In his address at the National Press Club this week, Prof Brodaty made a compelling case: Australia needs a nationwide dementia prevention campaign that tackles modifiable risk factors head-on.
Professor Brodaty, co-director of the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA) at the University of New South Wales, says the nation is underestimating what’s possible when it comes to dementia. Drawing a powerful comparison to Australia's success in campaigns against smoking and sun-related cancers, he stressed that dementia should be no different—especially since nearly half of the known risk factors are within our control.
He painted a hopeful picture: imagine a population actively improving their diets, staying mentally and socially engaged, managing blood pressure and cholesterol, and exercising regularly—not just for physical health, but to protect the brain. He emphasized that this isn’t about futuristic treatments or costly drugs. It’s about using the tools we already have to delay the onset of dementia and reduce its overall impact.
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Brodaty backed his message with evidence from a major Australian study involving more than 6,000 people aged 55 to 77. The participants were assigned to a personalized, internet-based dementia prevention program, and the results were remarkable. Those who received coaching showed better cognitive function and significantly reduced dementia risk after just three years. Even more impressive? It cost no more than simply giving out generic health brochures.
Brodaty called the findings “game-changing.” The economic angle is just as urgent—dementia currently costs the Australian economy about $3.7 billion annually, and that number is growing. He argued that prevention could be not just life-changing, but economically transformative. Keeping both patients and carers healthier and more productive can relieve pressure on the healthcare system and boost national productivity.
Yet despite the release of the National Dementia Action Plan and some modest funding, Brodaty says it's not nearly enough. We need brain health “navigators” like we have for cancer care, and we need campaigns that reach every corner of society—rural, urban, young, old, culturally diverse.
In his words: “We need the slip, slop, slap of brain health now.”
Australia has the tools, the research, and the roadmap. What’s missing is the urgency. And that’s what Professor Brodaty is here to change. His message is clear: dementia isn’t an inevitable part of ageing. With smart, focused action, we can push it back—adding years of healthy, productive life for hundreds of thousands of Australians. Now is the time.
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