WHO says many dementia risks could be delayed or prevented

On 15 July 2026, the World Health Organization said up to 45 percent of dementia risk could be prevented or delayed, citing factors that can be changed, including tobacco use, alcohol use, social isolation, physical inactivity, air pollution and noncommunicable diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes.

The WHO said dementia is the seventh leading cause of death globally and a major cause of disability and dependency among older people. It said more than 57 million people live with dementia worldwide and nearly 10 million people are diagnosed each year. Alzheimer disease is the most common form and is estimated to account for 60 to 70 percent of dementia cases.

The UN health agency published updated guidance for health workers and policymakers on how to help prevent or delay dementia. It said its first dementia recommendations were issued in 2019 and that the evidence base has grown significantly since then. The new guidelines are intended to support early awareness and intervention and reduce the burden of dementia in the coming decades.

Devora Kestel, director of the WHO's department for noncommunicable diseases and mental health, said dementia affects individuals, families and communities, including health, dignity, independence and well-being. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said countries now have evidence-based recommendations they can use to protect cognitive health.

The WHO said prevention is especially important because there is no cure for dementia and no widely accessible treatment. It recommended cognitive stimulation and training for adults with mild cognitive impairment, better management of conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol, and stronger integration of services for noncommunicable diseases, mental health and brain health.

The WHO said dementia is estimated to cost the global economy $1.3 trillion a year, about half of it from unpaid care by relatives and friends. It said action on risk factors could improve health, quality of life and independence.