WHO says nearly 45% of dementia cases preventable through lifestyle changes

These factors include smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and air pollution. The WHO released updated guidelines to help countries reduce the growing burden of dementia through early prevention and improved healthcare interventions. Dementia is the seventh leading cause of death globally and a major contributor to disability among older adults, affecting memory, thinking, and daily activities.

While there is no cure, up to 45 percent of risks are attributed to modifiable factors such as tobacco, alcohol use, social isolation, physical inactivity, air pollution, and noncommunicable diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes. More than 57 million people worldwide currently live with dementia, with nearly 10 million new cases diagnosed annually. Alzheimer’s disease accounts for an estimated 60 to 70 percent of all cases.

Devora Kestel, Director of the WHO’s Department of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health, emphasized that dementia impacts individuals, families, and communities, affecting health, dignity, independence, and well-being. The revised guidance, building on 2019 guidelines, provides practical steps for countries to protect cognitive health, including encouraging cognitive stimulation, managing conditions like hypertension and diabetes, and integrating services for