WHO Adds 7 Dementia Risk Factors in Updated Guidelines

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 1

Seven new risks—stroke, traumatic brain injury, vision impairment, sleep problems, HIV, air pollution and menopausal hormone therapy—were added in WHO’s first dementia-guideline update since 2019.
The agency said the second edition reflects newer evidence on preventing cognitive decline, expanding its framework from 12 previously listed risks to 19 total factors.
WHO does not recommend menopausal hormone therapy to prevent dementia in women 65 and older, and says evidence remains insufficient to judge its effect in younger postmenopausal women.
The update also highlights modifiable threats tied to brain health, including vascular disease, head trauma, poor sleep and pollution exposure, alongside longstanding advice on exercise, diet, smoking, alcohol and social activity.
Dementia risk climbs sharply with age; a recent U.S. analysis estimated about 1 in 5 people develop it by age 85.