WHO updates dementia guidelines, says up to 45% of cases preventable

The World Health Organization released updated global guidelines on reducing the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. The guidance states that up to 45 % of dementia cases could be prevented or delayed by addressing modifiable risk factors such as tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, social isolation, air pollution, and non‑communicable diseases like hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol. More than 57 million people worldwide live with dementia and nearly 10 million new cases are diagnosed each year; Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 60‑70 % of cases. The WHO recommends lifestyle changes—including regular physical activity, a healthy diet, quitting smoking, limiting alcohol, social engagement, cognitive training, and use of hearing aids where needed—along with better management of cardiometabolic conditions and reduction of air‑pollution exposure. The agency warns that dementia imposes a $1.3 trillion annual economic burden, about half of which is unpaid care by families. Director‑General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “We know more today than ever before about what drives dementia risk, and these guidelines translate that knowledge into action.”