Dementia is "one of the greatest health and social challenges of our time," affecting millions of people worldwide, said World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Thursday, as the UN agency released its latest guidelines on reducing the risk of the disease.
Speaking at a news conference in Geneva, Tedros said more than 57 million people worldwide live with dementia, while nearly 10 million new cases are diagnosed each year.
Alzheimer's disease, he said, accounts for about 60 percent to 70 percent of all dementia cases.
"Although there is no cure for dementia, the disease can be prevented or delayed by avoiding risk factors including tobacco, alcohol use, social isolation, lack of physical activity, air pollution, and by treating high blood pressure, diabetes, and hearing loss," he explained, launching Anadolu (16/7).
The latest WHO guidelines state that up to 45 percent of dementia risk can be prevented or delayed by addressing modifiable factors, including tobacco and alcohol use, social isolation, lack of physical activity, air pollution, and non-communicable diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
The agency provides evidence-based recommendations to help countries prevent or delay cognitive decline throughout life.
The recommendations include increasing physical activity, quitting smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, maintaining a healthy diet, participating in cognitive training and social activities, and reducing exposure to air pollution.
The guidelines also recommend management of hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol, while hearing aids may be offered as part of a dementia risk reduction strategy.
Tedros also called on governments to integrate dementia prevention into primary health care and programs that address non-communicable diseases, healthy aging, and public health, stressing that protecting brain health requires action beyond the health sector.
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