WHO releases 12 evidence‑based recommendations to lower dementia risk

The World Health Organization published a guidance document outlining twelve evidence‑based actions to reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Key measures include at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week, quitting smoking, adopting a Mediterranean‑style diet, limiting alcohol, engaging in mental exercises, maintaining social connections, controlling weight, blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol, treating depression early, and protecting hearing health. WHO notes that nearly 10 million new dementia cases are diagnosed globally each year and stresses that many risk factors are modifiable.

In Vietnam, the Ministry of Health is shifting from treatment‑focused care to proactive disease prevention. New legislation and a political resolution prioritize primary‑care, early detection, and risk‑factor management for non‑communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, hypertension and diabetes, against a backdrop of an aging population, climate change and emerging infections. The health system is being integrated across community health stations, provincial hospitals and digital platforms to improve surveillance, vaccination, and health‑record connectivity.

Both initiatives aim to lessen the burden of chronic illness, enhance population health, and strengthen health‑security resilience.