WHO says up to 45% of dementia risk could be prevented or delayed in updated guidelines
GENEVA — The World Health Organization on 15 July released updated guidelines on reducing the risk of cognitive decline and dementia, concluding that up to 45% of dementia risk is linked to modifiable factors that countries can act on now.
By Source Reporters Newsdesk
Sat, 18 July 2026 · 2 min read
The World Health Organization on 15 July released updated guidelines on reducing the risk of cognitive decline and dementia, concluding that up to 45% of dementia risk is linked to modifiable factors that countries can act on now. The guidance is aimed at giving governments evidence-based recommendations to help prevent or delay the onset of dementia across the life course (https://www.who.int/news/item/15-07-2026-new-who-guidelines--up-to-45--of-dementia-risk-could-be-prevented-or-delayed).
Dementia affects more than 57 million people worldwide, with nearly 10 million newly diagnosed each year, and Alzheimer's disease accounts for an estimated 60–70% of cases, according to WHO. The agency said up to 45% of that risk can be attributed to modifiable factors including tobacco and alcohol use, social isolation, physical inactivity, air pollution, and noncommunicable diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
"Countries now have clear, evidence-based recommendations they can put into practice immediately to protect people's cognitive health," said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, arguing the guidelines translate a growing body of knowledge about dementia risk drivers into action (https://www.who.int/news/item/15-07-2026-new-who-guidelines--up-to-45--of-dementia-risk-could-be-prevented-or-delayed).
The revised advice builds on WHO's first dementia-risk recommendations from 2019 and adds a new recommendation to reduce exposure to air pollution. It also urges cognitive training and social engagement for adults with normal cognition or mild impairment, more physical activity, tobacco cessation, lower alcohol use, healthier diets, and management of cardiometabolic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol; hearing aids may be offered as part of risk-reduction strategies.
WHO explicitly said it does not recommend supplementation with vitamins B and E, omega-3 fatty acids or multivitamins/minerals in the absence of a diagnosed deficiency, citing a lack of evidence that benefits outweigh potential harms. The agency noted dementia carries a major economic toll, costing the global economy an estimated US$1.3 trillion annually, about half of it from unpaid care by families and friends.
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