Up to 45% of Dementia Risk Is Preventable

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released updated guidelines on reducing the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.

This offers countries evidence-based recommendations to help prevent or delay the onset of a condition that affects more than 57 million people worldwide.

The guidelines, published on Friday, build on WHO's first dementia risk reduction recommendations issued in 2019 and show a growing body of evidence on what drives the condition and how it can be prevented.

Dementia, most commonly caused by Alzheimer's disease, which accounts for an estimated 60 to 70 per cent of cases, affects memory, thinking and the ability to function independently.

Nearly 10 million people are newly diagnosed every year, and the condition costs the global economy an estimated $1.3 trillion annually, with roughly half of that driven by unpaid care provided by families and friends.

WHO said up to 45 per cent of dementia risk could be attributed to modifiable risk factors, including tobacco use, alcohol consumption, social isolation, physical inactivity, air pollution and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as high blood pressure and diabetes.

"We know more today than ever before about what drives dementia risk, and these guidelines translate that knowledge into action.

"Countries now have clear, evidence-based recommendations they can put into practice immediately to protect people's cognitive health," WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

The updated guidelines recommend a range of lifestyle and behavioural interventions, including cognitive training, cognitive stimulation, engagement in social activities, increased physical activity, stopping tobacco use, reducing alcohol consumption and adopting a healthy diet.

A new recommendation to reduce exposure to air pollution has also been added.

Management of cardiometabolic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol is also advised, and the guidelines note that hearing aids may be offered as part of risk-reduction strategies.

However, WHO said it does not recommend the use of vitamin B and E supplements, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) or multivitamins and minerals as interventions to reduce the risk of cognitive decline or dementia in the absence of a diagnosed deficiency, citing a lack of evidence that any potential benefits would outweigh possible harmful effects.

WHO said stronger integration of services for NCDs, mental health and brain health would be essential to reducing the burden of dementia in the coming decades.