Second edition of the WHO Guidelines for Risk Reduction of Cognitive Decline and Dementia published
The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched the second edition of the Guidelines for Risk Reduction of Cognitive Decline and Dementia.
The guidelines provide recommendations to support dementia risk reduction as a public health priority. They document the latest evidence on dementia risk reduction, including newly recognised evidence-based risk factors, and a provide a new framework for grouping risk factors into four categories: behaviours, health conditions and biological states, environmental and multidomain. The framework is designed to support opportunities for intervention – at individual and population levels – to help health-care professionals, policymakers and other stakeholders strengthen prevention efforts.
The key takeaway messages on risk reduction include adopting a healthy lifestyle, effective management of other health conditions associated with increased dementia risk, and reduction of environmental risk factors, like pollution. Areas are also identified where further research is required before recommendations can be issued.
At the launch of the guidelines, Dr Tarun Dua, WHO Unit Head for Neurological, Sensory and Oral Conditions in the Department of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health, issued a rallying call:
“These guidelines are global, but we must go local.”
Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) and Alzheimer Europe contributed to this second edition of the guidelines, which have been created due to the expansion of the evidence base around risk reduction since the publication of the first edition in 2019.
Read the guidelines here: https://iris.who.int/server/api/core/bitstreams/ea44b7f6-b09f-4e6f-b8c7-2e5b0fcc9a99/content
ADI are providing a webinar – ‘Advancing Dementia Risk Reduction: Implementing the WHO’s Updated Guidelines’ – on 28 July 2026 at 1pm BST. This will be an expert-led session providing an in-depth overview of the new recommendations and sharing practical examples from national dementia associations. You can book your free place on this webinar here: https://alzint-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/6417821229611/WN_sxbzT1piRPqgWRmC2Hv2Zg#/registration