Paraná health officials promote lifestyle changes to prevent dementia

The Paraná State Health Department (Sesa) is highlighting the importance of healthy lifestyle choices to prevent or delay the onset of dementia, in observance of Alzheimer's awareness month in September. While there is currently no cure for dementia, following World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines can mitigate risk factors.

Key recommendations include maintaining an active social life, engaging in regular physical activity, and managing chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes. Health officials also advise quitting smoking, avoiding alcohol consumption, and reducing exposure to air pollution to protect cognitive health.

The initiative comes amid a growing elderly population in Paraná, which is projected to have over 2.16 million seniors by 2026. Based on a national prevalence rate of 8.5% among the elderly, it is estimated that approximately 184,000 people in the state are currently living with dementia. In Paraná, health units recorded 23,637 dementia-related consultations in 2025, with 20,966 cases already recorded through July of the current year.