New recommendations target tobacco and alcohol use, physical inactivity, air pollution and chronic diseases as global dementia cases rise
By Bunmi Yekini
The World Health Organization on Wednesday issued updated guidelines aimed at reducing the risk of cognitive decline and dementia, saying up to 45% of dementia risks are linked to factors that can be modified.
More than 57 million people worldwide live with dementia, with nearly 10 million new cases diagnosed each year, the WHO said. Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form, accounts for an estimated 60% to 70% of cases.
There is no cure for dementia, but the U.N. health agency said addressing risk factors including tobacco and alcohol use, social isolation, physical inactivity, air pollution, high blood pressure and diabetes could help prevent or delay its onset.
“We know more today than ever before about what drives dementia risk, and these guidelines translate that knowledge into action,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.
“Countries now have clear, evidence-based recommendations they can put into practice immediately to protect people’s cognitive health.”
The guidelines, which update recommendations first issued in 2019, call for increased physical activity, smoking cessation, reduced alcohol consumption, a healthy diet and reduced exposure to air pollution.
They also recommend cognitive training, mental stimulation and social engagement for adults with normal cognition or mild cognitive impairment.
Managing conditions including hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol could also reduce dementia risk, while hearing aids may be offered as part of prevention strategies, the WHO said.
The agency, however, advised against using vitamins B and E, omega-3 fatty acids and multivitamin or mineral supplements to prevent cognitive decline or dementia in people without a diagnosed deficiency, citing insufficient evidence that the benefits outweigh potential harms.
Dementia affects memory, thinking and the ability to perform everyday activities, often reducing a person’s independence and placing a significant burden on families and caregivers.
The condition costs the global economy an estimated $1.3 trillion annually, with about half of that attributed to unpaid care provided by families and friends, according to the WHO.
The agency said integrating dementia prevention into services for noncommunicable diseases, mental health and brain health could help reduce the growing global burden of the condition.