Fresh evidence for coordinated, long term action on dementia

New research using New Zealand Health Survey data, has found if you have depression - your risk of developing dementia is increased by 40 percent.

People who rate their psychological distress as high or very high have almost twice the risk, compared to those who rate their distress as low.

Auckland University Senior Lecturer Etu Ma'u says we need to be looking after people from childhood.

He says there are long term consequences of developing depression and anxiety - and so while it's important to treat it, the focus should be on preventing it in the first place.