THREE in 20 Singaporean Chinese over the age of 60 suffer from cognitive impairment or dementia, according to a new study by researchers from the National University Health System (NUHS).

In particular, those with high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol levels were at risk of developing cognitive impairment problems, the study found.

Researchers studied about 1,200 people for dementia. They also looked out for signs of cognitive impairment, which includes symptoms such as memory loss and difficulty in executing simple tasks like following recipes or keeping track of bills.

A similar study will also be done on Malays and Indians, to provide a better understanding of dementia in Singapore as a whole.