World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that up to 45 percent of dementia cases could be prevented by addressing modifiable risk factors, as it unveiled updated global guidelines aimed at reducing the disease’s growing burden.
Released on Wednesday, the new recommendations provide evidence-based measures for countries to prevent or delay cognitive decline and dementia across all ages. The WHO reports that over 57 million people worldwide are living with dementia, with nearly 10 million new cases diagnosed annually; also, Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 60 to 70 percent of cases.
While there is no cure, many cases are linked to risk factors such as tobacco use, harmful alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, air pollution, social isolation, and non-communicable diseases like hypertension and diabetes. WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus emphasized that advances in research have improved understanding of these risks, enabling nations to take practical steps to protect brain health.
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