WHO Issues Updated Guidelines to Help Prevent Dementia Worldwide

Nearly half of dementia cases may be preventable-and the WHO says action should start long before symptoms appear. The World Health Organization (WHO) has released updated guidelines to help reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia by focusing on healthy lifestyle habits and early management of risk factors throughout life.

More than 57 million people worldwide live with dementia, and nearly 10 million new cases are diagnosed every year. Alzheimer's disease accounts for about 60–70% of all dementia cases. While there is still no cure, the WHO estimates that up to 45% of dementia risk is linked to modifiable factors, meaning many cases could potentially be delayed or prevented.

The updated guidelines recommend several evidence-based measures to protect brain health. These include regular physical activity, quitting smoking, limiting alcohol intake, eating a healthy diet, staying socially active, and participating in cognitive training or mentally stimulating activities, particularly for people with normal cognition or mild cognitive impairment.

For the first time, the WHO also recommends reducing exposure to air pollution as part of dementia prevention strategies.

Managing chronic health conditions is another key recommendation. Keeping high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol under control can lower dementia risk. The guidelines also suggest that hearing aids may be offered to people with hearing loss as part of risk-reduction strategies.

However, the WHO does not recommend taking vitamin B or E supplements, omega-3 fatty acids, or multivitamins solely to prevent dementia unless a deficiency has been diagnosed, as current evidence does not show clear benefits.

The updated recommendations reflect growing scientific evidence since the WHO's 2019 guidelines and encourage countries to integrate brain health into routine care for non-communicable diseases and mental health. According to the WHO, taking preventive action early could help people live longer, healthier, and more independent lives while reducing the growing global burden of dementia.

REFERENCE: Risk reduction of cognitive decline and dementia: WHO guidelines, second edition. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2026. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO https://iris.who.int/server/api/core/bitstreams/ea44b7f6-b09f-4e6f-b8c7-2e5b0fcc9a99/content