WHO Updates Dementia Guidance for 57 Million Cases, Targeting Risks Behind Up to 45%
Updated
Updated · Ynetnews · Aug 23
WHO Updates Dementia Guidance for 57 Million Cases, Targeting Risks Behind Up to 45%
3 articles · Updated · Ynetnews · Aug 23
Summary
More than 57 million people living with dementia are the backdrop for updated WHO guidance that says some cases may be prevented or delayed by cutting modifiable risks across life.
Up to 45% of dementia risk is tied to factors such as physical inactivity, smoking, excess alcohol, hypertension, diabetes, social isolation, hearing and vision loss, and air pollution.
Hearing aids and treatment for sensory loss gained prominence in the update, with the ACHIEVE trial showing hearing intervention slowed cognitive decline over three years in higher-risk adults.
WHO also backs exercise, cognitive stimulation and social activity, but not routine vitamin use without a diagnosed deficiency, stressing combined interventions over single 'brain health' fixes.
About $1.3 trillion in annual global dementia costs and the lack of a cure sharpen the message that prevention starts decades before symptoms interfere with daily life.