The World Health Organization has released updated guidelines on reducing the risk of dementia, setting out the behaviours and lifestyle changes it says can help lower the chances of cognitive decline. The revised advice is aimed at helping people protect their brain health at a time when the global burden of dementia continues to grow and the number of those affected keeps rising.
The scale of the condition underlines why the guidance matters. Nearly 10 million people are newly diagnosed with dementia every year, according to the figures cited alongside the guidelines. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of the condition, estimated to account for between 60 and 70 per cent of all cases, making it the dominant driver of the wider dementia burden worldwide.
Among its recommendations, the WHO points to cognitive training and cognitive stimulation, as well as engagement in social activities. These are aimed at adults who have normal cognition or who are experiencing mild cognitive impairment, offering ways for people to keep their minds active and stay socially connected as part of a broader effort to reduce their risk of decline.
The updated advice also draws on interventions already known to reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases. These include increasing physical activity, stopping tobacco use, reducing alcohol consumption and adopting a healthy diet, measures that support overall health and are now tied explicitly to lowering the risk of cognitive decline as well as other chronic conditions.
One notable addition is a new recommendation to reduce exposure to air pollution. By naming air pollution as a factor, the guidelines broaden the focus beyond individual habits to include the environment in which people live, reflecting growing attention to the links between polluted air and long-term health, including the health of the brain over time.
The WHO was also clear about what it does not recommend. As an intervention to reduce the risk of cognitive decline or dementia, the guidelines advise against supplementation with vitamins B and E, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and multivitamins or minerals in the absence of a diagnosed deficiency, citing a lack of evidence that any potential benefits would outweigh possible harmful effects.
The guidance comes against the backdrop of a condition for which there is still no cure. With treatment options limited, the emphasis of the updated recommendations falls squarely on prevention and risk reduction, encouraging people to adopt habits and make changes that may help delay or lower the likelihood of developing dementia as they age.