WHO identifies the main factors that reduce the risk of dementia and warns against smoking and alcohol

In its latest recommendations, the World Health Organization (WHO) stated that maintaining social relationships and engaging in activities that stimulate cognitive abilities, such as reading, storytelling, board games, and card games, are now among the recommended ways to help prevent dementia. These measures were not included in its 2019 guidelines due to insufficient scientific evidence at the time.

The WHO noted that around 45% of dementia risk factors are linked to behaviors and conditions that can be modified. It emphasized that adopting a healthy lifestyle not only improves overall health but also helps prevent cognitive decline.

The organization also recommends regular physical activity as one of the key measures to reduce the risk of dementia, while also improving the health and well-being of people already living with the disease.

In addition, the WHO highlighted that current scientific evidence supports the use of hearing aids for people with hearing loss, noting that these devices help reduce the risk of cognitive decline. This represents an important update compared with its previous recommendations.

The organization estimates that nearly 57 million people worldwide are currently living with dementia, with this number expected to continue rising in the coming years, as there is still no cure for the disease.

Finally, the WHO warned that several health conditions significantly increase the risk of developing dementia, including high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, hearing loss, sleep disorders, and depression. It called for early management of these risk factors to help reduce the likelihood of the disease.