The World Health Organization (WHO) has published new guidelines highlighting some of the ways in which individuals can reduce their risk of developing dementia. The document specifically draws attention to areas such as regular exercise, smoking, harmful use of alcohol, controlling body weight, healthy diets, and maintenance of healthy blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
The guidelines have two key intended objectives:
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To provide evidence-based recommendations on lifestyle behaviours and interventions to delay or prevent cognitive decline and dementia in the general population.
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To provide evidence-based recommendations on management of specific physical and mental health conditions, to delay or prevent cognitive decline and dementia.
This work aligns with the prevention strand of the WHO’s “Global action plan for the public health response to dementia (2017-2025)”, which addresses a number of key areas around dementia, including strengthening information systems for dementia; diagnosis, treatment and care; supporting carers of people with dementia; and research and innovation.
An updated factsheet on dementia, providing high-level information on diagnosis, treatment, human rights and epidemiology, has also been published.
The full report on the dementia guidelines can be read here: https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/312180/9789241550543-eng.pdf?ua=1
The updated factsheet on dementia can be read here: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dementia